Chetan Sakariya is a left-arm medium-fast bowler who generates useful pace and late swing in both directions, with his sharp incutters to right-handers making him a lethal threat with the new ball. Hailing from Vartej, near Bhavnagar in Gujarat, Sakariya grew up in a financially struggling family and worked odd jobs alongside his early cricket training.
His journey transformed when senior Saurashtra batter Sheldon Jackson gifted him his first pair of proper cricket shoes and facilitated his entry into the MRF Pace Foundation. After dominating age-group cricket, highlighted by 18 wickets in six Cooch Behar Trophy games, Sakariya honed his craft at the MRF Foundation under the tutelage of Glenn McGrath.
Sakariya made his senior debut for Saurashtra during the 2018–19 domestic season, following his List A debut in early 2018. He made an immediate statement in his First-Class debut against Gujarat, picking up a five-wicket haul (5/54) in his very first innings. He ended his debut Ranji Trophy campaign with 29 wickets in just eight matches, instantly establishing himself as Saurashtra's frontline quick. Though a stress fracture briefly halted his progress soon after, he bounced back into the senior setup with enhanced control and sharp variations.
His IPL breakthrough arrived at the 2021 auction when Rajasthan Royals acquired him for INR 1.2 crore. Sakariya made an instant impact in IPL 2021, taking 14 wickets in 14 matches with impressive composure in the death overs. That performance catapulted him straight into the national team: within months, he earned his maiden India call-up for the Sri Lanka tour in July 2021, picking up 2/34 on his ODI debut before making two T20I appearances.
Injuries and team combinations subsequently stalled his international momentum. He moved to Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2022 season, where limited opportunities over two years were compounded by physical setbacks that kept him out for extended periods during the 2023–24 domestic season. After going unplayed during KKR's 2024 campaign, Sakariya re-entered the spotlight in 2025 when Kolkata Knight Riders signed him for INR 75 lakh as a replacement for the injured Umran Malik, offering the resilient left-armer another platform to rebuild his franchise career.
Parallel to his IPL journey, Sakariya remained an indispensable force for Saurashtra across domestic competitions. He played a pivotal role in Saurashtra’s historic domestic double during the 2022–23 season, picking up 27 wickets in 9 games (with a season-best 5/40) in their Ranji Trophy-winning campaign, alongside 12 wickets in 8 matches in their victorious Vijay Hazare Trophy run. Continuing his strong domestic displays after recovering from injury, he delivered an outstanding 2025–26 Vijay Hazare Trophy performance, taking 17 wickets in 8 matches. His sustained consistency and ability to strike with the new ball earned him a spot in Saurashtra's squad for the 2026–27 Ranji Trophy season.
