NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh has seen a massive rise in cricketing talents over the last few decades. From Suresh Raina to Rinku Singh, some of the best batters that donned the shades of blue were first tried and tested on the soil of UP.
Hailing from the same land, Swastik Chikara has been creating waves with his flamboyant style, potentially alerting franchises ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction, scheduled for November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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“I’m praying every day”: Chikara’s
“I’ll be glued to the TV that day. I’ll watch the whole auction. Hopefully, my name gets picked on the first day. I’m praying to the Gods every day,” Chikara told TimesofIndia.com. “First of all, I want to break into IPL playing XI. I have noticed that if you do well after getting a chance, your stake keeps going higher. My only focus is that I want to do as well as I can in IPL. And then playing for India is a dream.”
In the 2024 IPL season, Chikara was picked up by the Delhi Capitals for Rs. 20 lacs during the auction. However, his debut season ended without any appearance. “I’ve seen that in IPL, you need to do something out-of-the-box to grab attention.”
Delhi Capitals experience: Learning under legends
Playing under the supervision of Australian legend Ricky Ponting and captaincy of modern phenomenon Rishabh Pant, Chikara amassed buckets of experience. He explained, “His (Ponting) positivity is contagious. He gave me targeted advice on power-hitting and other drills, and his energy as a coach is remarkable.”
“Rishabh bhaiya (Pant) is very different on and off the field. On the ground, he’s all about cricket, deeply focused. Off the field, he’s fun-loving and chill, which is why I like about him,” the Ghaziabad-born rising star asserted.
“It was incredible to share the dressing room with legends like Rishabh bhaiya and Axar (Patel) bhaiya. I used to follow them, their discipline, techniques, and game strategies closely, which taught me a lot.”
A huge
Chikara made the 2024 UP T20 League his playground, where he claimed the Orange Cap, the MVP award, and the Super Striker of the Season title while steering the Meerut Mavericks to victory.
With four half-centuries and a blistering century, his bat did the talking. “I’ve always been a huge fan of Virender Sehwag. Watching him play inspired me a lot. He has a big heart. The way he would start attacking from the very first ball at that time was incredible. I try to incorporate that fearless approach into my game too,” acknowledged the top-order batter.
Like Sehwag, Chikara is also skilled at bowling off-spin deliveries. However, he reserves an objection, “Bhaiya mujhe off-spin aati hai, lekin koi karwata nahi hai (I can bowl off-spin, but I don’t get to bowl in matches [laughs]).”
Rinku Singh and
Having made UP’s squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Chikara is currently in Mumbai and will be watching his name go up in the auction on a day he has no match to play.
While the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy gives the starlet a chance to hone his skills, spending time with players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rinku Singh during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has also left a lasting impact on him.
“We played the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy together last year, so we spent a lot of time together. Bhuvi bhaiya is very caring and true gentleman. I share rooms with Rinku bhai. He is very good nature-wise,” Chikara had only good words for his seniors.
UP born and bred
When asked about his favourite IPL team, he couldn’t resist a slight smirk on the cusp of his lips. “I like all the teams. I just hope to get picked in the auction this time. That’s my main focus, and the experience would be something new and exciting,” he concluded.
“I liked Delhi because they picked me last year (laughs). But since I’m from UP, playing for Lucknow would be a dream, representing my home state. As a fan, I support UP’s team. Since Delhi picked me last time, I’ve also started supporting them.”