Tag: Chetan Sakariya

  • IPL 2021: Mustafizur, Shakariya shine as Royals restrict Delhi Capitals to 154/6

    By PTI

    ABU DHABI: Rajasthan Royals’ pace battery, led by Mustafizur Rahman, put up a disciplined effort to restrict Delhi Capitals to a modest 154 for six in their Indian Premier League match here on Saturday.

    The Royals pacers — Rahman (2/22), Chetan Sakariya (2/33) and Kartik Tyagi (1/40) — shared five wickets while spin all-rounder Rahul Tewatia (1/17) dismissed one batsman.

    Tyagi, the star of the match against Punjab Kings, drew first blood with his very first delivery in the fourth over, cleaning up Orange Cap holder Shikhar Dhawan (8).

    The Delhi opener looked to play a good length delivery but the ball rolled back to hit the timber.

    Prithvi Shaw (10) soon followed his opening partner back to the dugout, slicing the ball off Sakariya to Liam Livingstone at mid-off.

    At the end of the powerplay, the Capitals were precariously placed at 36 runs for the loss of two wickets.

    With spin introduced in the seventh over Shreyas Iyer (43 off 32 balls) and skipper Rishabh Pant (24 off 24 balls) started to repair the damage caused by the loss of the openers.

    The duo, who stitched a 62-run partnership, kept the scoreboard ticking, while also hitting the occasional boundaries at the huge Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

    The stylish Southpaw hit the first maximum of the match over long off in the 10th over off left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (0/34).

    As the two Delhi batters found their footing, Rahman was brought back into the attack and the move immediately paid dividends as Pant, looking to hook the ball away, ended up getting an under edge.

    Samson then showed his skills with gloves to stump Iyer, who failed to stretch his back foot inside the crease as wicket continued to tumble at regular intervals.

    Shimron Hetmyer, who was striking the ball well, then upped the ante, hitting three boundaries off Tyagi to plunder 16 runs in the 16th over.

    The big-hitting West Indian, who hit five fours, scored a brisk 28 off 16 balls.

  • Sanju Samson and Kumar Sangakkara lifted my confidence, says Chetan Sakariya on IPL debut

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals pacer Chetan Sakariya lauded Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara and captain Sanju Samson for boosting his confidence on his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut against Punjab Kings.

    In his debut game, Sakariya returned with the impressive figures of 3-31 in his four overs even when Punjab Kings posted 221. The youngster managed to take the wickets of KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, and Jhye Richardson.

    “Sanga sir told me bowl according to your understanding and back yourself. If it lands on the right area the whole credit will go to you and if didn’t work we will help you. The same thing Sanju bhai did, he gave me full freedom and said I will give you the field of your choice,” the pacer said in a video posted by Royals’ on their website.

    “I got to know in the team meeting before the match that I will play in the next match. Since then I was trying to mentally prepare myself for the opportunity.

    “When I was bowling the first ball, I felt the pressure but after that, I felt it is normal cricket. The wicket of KL Rahul was special for me as we saved a lot of runs by sending him back to the pavilion,” he added.

    When asked about the stunning diving catch he took of Nicholas Pooran, he said, “I remembered my coach’s advice who told me to always be prepared for the dive and I implemented on that. The ball got stuck on the hand.

    “We lost a hard-fought game so I don’t consider this as a defeat. We will learn from here and rectify our mistakes in the next game. Sanju bhaiya showed his class as he is playing IPL for such a long time. It is very pleasing to watch him play. He times the ball very easily and effortlessly,” he added.

    Sakariya was picked up by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.2 crore in the players’ auction held in February this year. In fact, Sakariya was a net bowler with the Virat Kohli-led franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) last year.Rajasthan Royals will next take on Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.

  • Rajasthan Royals pacer Chetan Sakariya: From struggling to meet cricket expenses to IPL stardom

    By IANS
    NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals pace bowler Chetan Sakariya has overcome many hurdles in his life like working at his uncles stationery shop while in school in lieu of money to cover his cricket expenses as his father couldnt afford equipment and coaching fees. Earlier this year, he and his family overcame the death of his younger brother, who had committed suicide. These have been harsh enough tests to endure early in life, especially for someone whos just turned 23.

    So it wasn’t surprising to see him maintain composure and calmness while bowling a series of slower balls in the last over on Monday night against Punjab Kings bowling innings and deceiving the batsmen while conceding five runs and picking two wickets.

    RR director of cricket operations Kumar Sangakkara was all praise for the left-arm youngster from Saurashtra.

    “I think he (Chetan Sakariya) was just brilliant. His skill was on display. It was really wonderful to watch a bowler in such a high-scoring match always smiling, always in the game. He took an amazing catch at short fine leg. He managed to come back well with the new ball. He bowled at the death, when everyone was taking punishment,” Sangakkara said while speaking to the media after the match on Monday.

    “It speaks a lot about his skill, his attitude. It is great to have him in the side. He is a simple guy. He has had his ups and downs in life. He is here to enjoy his cricket. Our job is to support that. It was really good to see the control that he had, the change-ups. He picked the moments to bowl them,” added Sangakkara.

    Sakariya was picked for Rs 1.2 crore in the IPL mini-auction on February 18 this year.

    Coming from a village, 10 kilometres from Bhavnagar in Gujarat, life wasn’t easy for him.

    His maternal uncle took care of his expenses for education, cricket equipment, and training at the Sir Bhavsinhji Cricket Academy, a go-to place for budding cricketers in and around Bhavnagar, and from where the likes of Saurashtra players Sheldon Jackson, Harvik Desai, and Sandip Maniar have emerged.

    In return, Sakariya had to help him in his business.

    Sakariya’s dad, who owned and drove a tempo, took care of the family with his meagre income.

    “When I was in school, I had to balance studies and cricket. But after completing my 12th I focussed on cricket. I would train in the evening and in the first half, I would work for my uncle,” Sakariya had told IANS just after getting picked at the auction.

    Sakariya was initially encouraged by his school coach when he was in 10th and immediately enrolled into the Bhavsinhji Academy. From there, he got a chance to play under-16 for Saurashtra.

    He was then picked for MRF Pace Foundation and spent five months there on his action and fitness.

    “I played for the Saurashtra under-19 and also the under-23 teams. Soon, I was called up for the senior team’s probables and was put in the loop. The coaches said that with experience I would improve,” he had told IANS.

    Having bowled at the senior Saurashtra team nets, he made his Ranji Trophy debut in November 2018 against Gujarat and he picked a five-wicket haul in first innings as Saurashtra won points on first innings. He picked 29 wickets in eight matches in his debut Ranji season.

    But it was his bowling in T20 format that was to catch everyone’s eye.

    During the 2019-20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he impressed the Royal Challengers Bangalore scouts.

    “I was approached by the RCB scouts when I was playing a T20 match against Jharkhand. They called me for trials in January, just before Covid-19 broke out. Coach Mike Hesson was impressed. They gave me match scenarios at the nets and I impressed them. Unfortunately, a lockdown happened. But they kept in touch and signed a contract with me,” Sakariya had told IANS.

    Sakariya soon flew to the UAE for IPL 2020 as a net bowler for RCB and that is where his brush with someone from the big league came.

    South Africa pace bowler Dale Steyn and Umesh Yadav were at the nets.

    “Steyn taught me a lot of things related to planning out batsmen. He taught me how to come round the wicket to a left-handed batsman and bowl wide outside off-stump. It is a very difficult job for a left-armer. I got Moeen Ali out in an intra-RCB practice game,” added Sakariya.

    “Umesh bhai also taught me how to plan. My skills in variation were developed at the RCB nets during IPL 2020.”

    The brush with the Steyn & Co at the RCB nets bore fruit at the Rajasthan Royals trials.

    “I bowled extraordinarily well at the Rajasthan Royals trials just recently. One of the coaches came up to me and praised me for having different types of deliveries. I think I have six different variations — back-of-the-hand, bouncer, yorker, cutter, and slow bouncer etc, but I bowl two-three perfectly. That performance and in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is what I think got me a big contract,” said Sakariya.

    He bagged 12 wickets in five matches that put him sixth in the wicket-takers’ list of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

  • IPL is true measure of Indian dream: Virender Sehwag lauds Chetan Sakariya’s efforts

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals young speedster Chetan Sakariya impressed one and all with his calm head against Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter on Monday and even former India batsman Virender Sehwag took notice of the performance.

    In a high-scoring affair, Sakariya managed to leave a lasting impression as he returned figures of 3-31 even as Punjab Kings posted 221. The youngster managed to take the wickets of KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, and Jhye Richardson.

    “Chetan Sakariya’s brother died of suicide a few months ago, his parents didn’t tell him for 10 days as he was playing the SMA trophy. What cricket means to these young men, their families. IPL is a true measure of the Indian dream & some stories of extraordinary grit. Great prospect,” tweeted Sehwag.

    Last month, Sakariya had lost his younger brother while he was playing the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Saurashtra.

    Sakariya was picked up by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.2 crore in the players’ auction held in February this year. In fact, Sakariya was a net bowler with the Virat Kohli-led franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) last year.

    After the match against Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals’ Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara also praised Sakariya for the composure exhibited by him.

    “I think Chetan was just brilliant, his skill was on his display. It was so wonderful to watch a bowler always smiling and always in the game in a high-scoring game. He bowled with the new ball and he bowled at the death. Speaks a lot about his skill and attitude, it is great to have him in the side, he is a simple guy, he has had ups and downs in life. He is here to enjoy his cricket, our job is to support him. It is really good to see the control he had, the changeups. Chetan is a young man who I think will have a very good future,” said Sangakkara while replying to an ANI query during a virtual press conference.

    Sanju Samson’s fighting hundred went in vain as Arshdeep Singh held his nerves in the final over to help Punjab Kings register a thrilling win over Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday. KL Rahul’s calm and composed knock, aided by Deepak Hooda’s belligerent hitting, helped Punjab Kings post 221 in the allotted 20 overs. In response, Rajasthan Royals fell just four runs short of the target.

    Rajasthan needed 5 runs off the final two balls, on the penultimate ball, Samson declined to take a single and on the final ball, he was dismissed by Arshdeep, giving Punjab Kings a win by four runs.

  • Missing Jofra Archer is big blow, we have faith in young Indian pacers Kartik Tyagi, Chetan Sakariya: Kumar Sangakkara

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Star pacer Jofra Archer’s absence because of injury is a “big blow” to Rajasthan Royals but their new Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara is confident that the team’s young Indian fast bowlers will rise to the challenge in this year’s Indian Premier League.

    Archer, who played with a hand injury during the India series, is currently recuperating from a surgery and the duration of his availability during the later part is still not clear.

    “Sanju and I will both agree that it’s a big blow for us. Jofra is a very vital part of our make-up and not to have him is unfortunately the reality of it. We have to work around it and plan contingencies,” Sangakkara told PTI during a virtual press conference on Sunday ahead of the clash against Punjab Kings here on Monday.

    The former Sri Lankan captain is, however, hopeful that Archer will be available at some point and “play his part in the IPL.”

    The weak link for Royals, over the years, has been their Indian pace attack where the most experienced name Jaydev Unadkat hasn’t exactly set the stage on fire.

    Apart from Unadkat, they have his left-arm back-up Chetan Sakariya and the immensely talented Kartik Tyagi.

    “Inexperience can probably work for you and it could mean that opposition hasn’t seen you either. Fast bowling in IPL is not an easy task and we saw that yesterday (Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings) as well,” said Sangakkara, who has played a number of seasons in the IPL.

    “Most of the wickets are good for batting. So, you have to be quite skilful. We have Kartik Tyagi, who did pretty well last season in patches and this year we have new additions (pacer) Kuldeep Yadav (Jr) and Chetan Sakariya,” he stated.

    For Sangakkara, it is imperative that these youngsters are prepared to understand match situations and bowl accordingly.

    “It’s about keeping them focussed on what their job is and get them trained and prepared to execute different deliveries, scenarios and match plans for the opposition but at the same time, giving them confidence about their own strengths.”

    The Royals skipper Sanju Samson has gone slightly off the radar as far as the national team is concerned after having failed to grab even a single opportunity.

    However, Sangakkara believes that both the captain and Rahul Tewatia, who recently was in India squad for the T20 series against England, could be national team regulars if they can trust their abilities a bit more.

    “Pressure is always there. Whether it is Sanju or Rahul, reality is they will tell you that expectations and pressures will always be there. Everyone has various coping mechanisms to deal with it, focus is to stay in the moment,” he said.

    “It is very important to have those grand ambitions of playing regular international cricket, and both Sanju and Rahul are very capable of not just being regulars but great, outstanding performers at the international stage.”

    The eloquent former glovesman wants each of his 11 players to be “problem solvers”, who can think on their feet and help the skipper.

    “…that really helps the skipper Sanju a lot on the field when people are thinking themselves as to what’s going on (match situation), and it also builds a lot of trust within the unit,” he added.