'Was not very disappointed' - Chetan Sakariya opens up on going unsold at IPL 2026 mini-auction
Sakariya made his IPL debut with Rajasthan Royals in 2021 and played 19 matches across three seasons.
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Left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya broke is silence on going unsold at the IPL 2026 mini-auction despite registering at a base price of INR 75 lakh. Instead of expressing frustration, the 27-year-old is optimistic about coming back through domestic cricket.
The IPL snub came amid a difficult domestic season for Sakariya. He was also dropped from Saurashtra’s Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Andhra on December 31. In three matches this season, he managed just two wickets at an average of 105 and an economy rate of 7.77. Sakariya admitted that his performances did not guarantee an IPL contract.
“I was not very disappointed. I knew that if I did something exceptional in the domestic season, I would be picked in the IPL. This was a mini auction and all the slots were already filled. So, I did not expect that I would be selected in the IPL,” Sakariya told as quoted by India Today.
Sakariya’s approach now is around achievable targets rather than distant milestones. The left-armer revealed that he has set small goals, starting with becoming Saurashtra’s highest wicket-taker, a feat he previously achieved during the 2022-23 season when the team lifted the Ranji Trophy.
“But right now, I have set small goals, like becoming the highest wicket taker for Saurashtra, like I did in 2022-23 (when Saurashtra lifted the Ranji Trophy), then I want to play in the IPL. It has always been like that. I have set small goals in my life,” he signed off,” Sakariya added.
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Born in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, Sakariya made his IPL debut with Rajasthan Royals in 2021 and played 19 matches across three seasons, picking up 20 wickets at an average of 29.95. He later represented the Delhi Capitals and joined the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025 as an injury replacement for Umran Malik. His previous performances earned him an India call-up during the Sri Lanka tour in 2021, where he impressed on debut.
However, injuries derailed his momentum. A career-threatening left wrist injury in February 2024 required surgery and kept him out of action for nearly two years. The rehabilitation phase was mentally taxing for the pacer, with doctors even putting doubt on his ability to grip the ball again. Sakariya admitted he feared his career was over.
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