Playing in the Indian Premier League again felt out of reach for Chetan Sakariya at the start of the year.
He was nursing a wrist injury that needed surgery on his bowling arm. It ruled him out of domestic white-ball cricket. The clock was ticking, and he knew it.
“Six or seven months back, I did not think I was going to play cricket [in 2025]. This was a neurological injury, which is rare in cricket. I had given up on the IPL this year because I hadn’t played any domestic cricket. I consulted Dr. Bhargav Patel for this injury. He took care of my physiotherapy [after the surgery], and he was the one who told me you will not miss this year’s cricket. I was not too sure but he was certain,” Sakariya tells Sportstar.
Fame is a fickle friend, and nobody knows it better than Sakariya. In 2021, he was IPL’s latest wonderkid, bursting onto the scene with 14 wickets for Rajasthan Royals. When the Delhi Capitals signed him for Rs. 4.2 crore in the next season’s mega auction, he became the quintessential rags-to-riches story which the world’s grandest T20 tournament prides itself on.
Sandwiched between the two seasons were Sakariya’s India debuts in One-Day Internationals and T20Is during the Sri Lanka tour.
However, he was dealt a cruel hand when DC picked him for just five games over the next two seasons. There were no more India call-ups either, and the injury in 2024 meant Sakariya’s career was pushed towards cricketing oblivion. Along expected lines, Sakariya went unsold at last year’s mega auction. He was living his nightmare. It was worse because he saw it coming.
But just as Sakariya resumed bowling after his injury, an opportunity was presented to him.
“Kolkata Knight Riders had a slot open due to injury to Umran Malik. I had been practising regularly, and I got a call from Chandu [Chandrakant Pandit] sir. He said that they were looking for a replacement. He knew that I had played a tournament at the D.Y. Patil Stadium just a few days ago. So, he asked me to join the camp and bowl for a few days. He said that even if you don’t make the squad, just come and practice through the pre-season camp. He offered me the chance to be a net bowler.
“I bowled for a couple of days, the physios did their checks and cleared me for selection. So, then Bharat Arun sir took the final call. He had seen me at the D.Y. Patil tournament, and he saw me again at the camp and knew I had improved,” Sakariya says.
Sakariya made a solitary appearance for the side – he gave away 39 runs in four overs against Punjab Kings, a game washed out due to rain at the Eden Gardens. But the IPL comeback was a reality.
Recollecting the pieces of his game and collating them to emulate his previous feats was never going to be an easy task. He did not expect it to happen in one season like last time, and hence, Sakariya is sure-footed about the progress he’s made through what he calls the second coming of his career.
ALSO READ | Armed with learnings from Rashid Khan’s mentorship, Yuvraj Chudasama looks for the big break
“I was bowling surprisingly well with the new ball. I think I have improved a little in terms of pace. Other than that, I did not try much differently. The improvement with the new ball could be because, since the injury, I have been trying to keep my wrist upright while bowling. Maybe the surgery on my wrist has improved the strength,” Sakariya says, assessing his bowling in the game against Punjab Kings.
But even now, his job is only half done. Second winds are hard to come by; sustaining them is harder still. Words like resolve, grit and composure have permeated cricketing lexicon, and these qualities are often treated as desirable add-ons to a player’s skill. However, even the bravest players break down when tested by the pitfalls of the sport.
Ben Stokes and Virat Kohli have mentioned their struggles with mental exhaustion. Sakariya, too, has navigated this journey alone as his whirlwind career has acquainted him with the highs and lows of the sport.
“I was clear when I started. I wanted to do well whenever I got the opportunity. But you end up mentally exhausted when you sit out for long periods. And honestly, the last two seasons have been tough. I had lost control of myself and [the perspective about] what I wanted to do. You start doubting yourself. You feel like moving on. You think your skills are not working. And that is something I am still recovering from.
“I cannot pinpoint one definitive way to overcome this. But, I keep trying in the hope that this pays off somehow,” Sakariya says about his comeback.
| Photo Credit:
Sportzpics for IPL
“I cannot pinpoint one definitive way to overcome this. But, I keep trying in the hope that this pays off somehow,” Sakariya says about his comeback.
| Photo Credit:
Sportzpics for IPL
“I cannot pinpoint one definitive way to overcome this. I try to talk to as many coaches as possible. They ask to work on my strengths. Even then, I find myself not getting enough chances. But, I keep working, I keep trying in the hope that this pays off somehow,” Sakariya says.
He will go full tilt during the upcoming domestic season. It will also be his return to the red-ball set up for Saurashtra, which he was last part of in February 2024, right before his injury. He had picked 27 wickets in nine games when Saurashtra last lifted the Ranji Trophy in 2022/23. Saurashtra will hope Sakariya could find that mojo in him once more.
If his seven wickets from five games at an economy of 7.46 in the Saurashtra Pro T20 League are anything to go by, there’s promise in store, again. Sakariya now comes with a bag of tricks that he picked up from international cricket. He says he will rely on them now more than ever.
“I used to be obsessed with pace. I thought I needed to up my speed to succeed. The wickets were extremely slow in Sri Lanka. Hence I thought I was not looking effective even though I was doing most things correctly. Even in the nets.
“It was Rahul Dravid sir, who made me realise. Zyada pace ke peeche jaoge toh injury hone ka chance zyada hai (You are more likely to get injured if you try to bowl faster). He asked me to focus on my skills. Look for ways in which I can hit the right length and line more consistently, that’s it. He told me that I should have the ability to deploy my best delivery at will,” Sakariya says.
Sakariya has seen the summit once, and sticking to his learning is probably the best way to endure the climb for a second time. Adversity had shaped him then; it has played a part now. Reaching the top will never be a doubt. For Sakariya, it will be holding onto it.
“Bhuvneshwar Kumar operated his entire career at a similar pace as me. I can too,” Sakariya says.