New Delhi: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have called up Indian pacer Chetan Sakariya as a replacement for Umran Malik. The Jammu and Kashmir speedster has been ruled out of IPL 2025 due to an injury, which is undisclosed yet. Malik, who was bought by the defending champions for INR 75 lakh at the mega auction, will miss the entire 18th edition of the IPL.
Sakariya, 27, was a part of KKR’s squad in their title-winning campaign last year but did not get a chance to play in that season. In the mega auction held in November 2024 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Saurashtra seamer went unsold. The left-arm quick has been signed for INR 75 lakh, which was the same fees that the three-time IPL champions spend behind Malik at the auction.
Having played 19 IPL matches across three seasons (2021-23), Sakariya has taken 20 wickets at an economy rate of 8.43 with the best bowling figures of 3/31. He made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals in 2021 and later moved to Delhi Capitals in 2022. In the T20 format overall, where he also has played for Saurashtra in domestic cricket, the 27-year-old bowler has scalped a total of 65 wickets in 45 innings with an economy of 7.69 and has a five wicket haul too (5/11).
Sakariya was seen bowling in the nets for KKR in their pre-season training sessions ahead of the new season, as suggested by multiple reports.
Malik, who is known for his raw pace, has struggled with injuries and inconsistency in the last few years. The 25-year-old, who made headlines in 2021 for clocking 150kmph consistently with ease, played his last competitive match in IPL 2024. He last represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, and that too for just one game. His recent setbacks includes a bout of dengue and a hip fracture, due to which he was not able to participate in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 and Duleep Trophy 2024.
While Sakariya adds depth to KKR’s pace unit, he will also be making a comeback in competitive cricket after playing his last game in February 2024. He represented Saurashtra in a Ranji Trophy game. His inclusion could provide an alternative to Australia’s Spencer Johnson, KKR’s first-choice potential left-arm seamer. Another concern for KKR will be to manage the workload of South African pacer Anrich Nortje, who was ruled out of his national team’s Champions Trophy campaign owing to a back injury.
