Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have signed Chetan Sakariya as a replacement for the injured Umran Malik for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The defending champions secured the IPL 2024 title after defeating SunRisers Hyderabad in the final.
As per an official statement on the IPL website, Umran Malik has been ruled out of the 2025 season due to injury. Sakariya, who had set his base price at ₹75 lakh, went unsold in the mega auction but has now been picked up by KKR at the same price as a replacement player.
Interestingly, Sakariya was also part of KKR’s squad in IPL 2024 after being bought for ₹50 lakh. However, he did not feature in any matches and was subsequently released ahead of the mega auction.
https://x.com/kkriders/status/1901313396320227663?s=46
Additionally, the left-arm pacer was recently brought in by KKR as a net bowler for IPL 2025 and has now earned a spot in their main squad as Umran Malik’s replacement. The franchise had secured Umran for ₹75 lakh during last year’s mega auction.
The defending champions also confirmed the update through a post on X (formerly Twitter).
https://x.com/kkriders/status/1901312159449309406?s=46
KKR will face RCB in the IPL 2025 opener on March 22 at Eden Gardens.
Chetan Sakariya’s IPL Journey
Chetan Sakariya has prior IPL experience, though he did not feature in any matches during the 2024 season. He made his debut in 2021 with the Rajasthan Royals, where he impressed by taking 14 wickets in 14 games.
Following his release from the Royals, he joined Delhi Capitals for the 2022 season. However, opportunities were limited, and he played only three matches, claiming three wickets. He remained with Delhi in the 2023 edition but featured in just two games, picking up three wickets.
Overall, Sakariya has played 19 IPL matches, securing 20 wickets at an average of 29.95 and an economy rate of 8.43. In addition to his IPL career, he has also represented India in one ODI and two T20Is.
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