Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have recruited Chetan Sakariya as a replacement for Umran Malik for the next IPL 2025 season. Umran, who is famous for his express pace, has been injured and hence KKR was left with no choice but to find a substitute.

Chetan Sakariya's IPL and International Experience

Sakariya, a left-arm medium pacer, has played 19 IPL games before, taking 20 wickets. He has also played one ODI and two T20Is for India, demonstrating his potential to play at the top level.

KKR acquired Sakariya for INR 75 lakh, which brought solidity to their bowling department as they get ready for the upcoming season.

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What This Means for KKR

With the injury of Umran Malik as a setback, Sakariya's addition brings KKR an experienced left-arm pacer capable of swinging the ball and bowl in various parts of the match. His familiarity with the IPL and international cricket makes him a great asset for the team.

The KKR fans cannot wait to know how Sakariya will deliver in the purple and gold colors as the side prepares for the IPL 2025.

Do you consider Sakariya a good fit to replace Umran Malik?

The Kolkata Knight Riders must make critical decisions to acquire players at the IPL 2024 auction. For the past two seasons, Kolkata Knight Riders have been on the back foot. 

The IPL 2024 auction is scheduled for December 19. KKR has released 12 players ahead of the next season. The two-time IPL winners have the most open places for the next season (12).

With Rs. 32.70 crore in available cash, KKR is anticipated to select the most players during the auction. Here, we look at three players that the Kolkata Knight Riders might target during the IPL 2024 auction.

• Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc is another bowler KKR might pursue in the IPL 2024. There’s little question that when he returns to the Indian Premier League next season, he’ll be one of the most sought-after players. As previously stated, KKR intends to build its pace assault from the ground up. As a result, they can go with Starc during the auction.

• Travis Head

The Kolkata Knight Riders must focus on their top-order segment of the arsenal. Last season, KKR struggled with their openers and needed help establishing a strong starting duo.

Travis Head has shown to be a potent opener following his outstanding performance in the ICC World Cup 2023. In the competition, he hit two centuries in four games. As a result, KKR will almost certainly pursue Travis Head at the IPL 2024 auction.

• Chetan Sakariya

With the squad releasing an enormous 12 players, the team ended up with a few top-class pacers. On that note, Chetan Sakariya could be a viable option to fill the gap of the team’s pacer. Garnering highlights through his performance for his debut IPL franchise, Rajasthan Royals, that Sakariya seemed to be a promising talent and made a franchise shift to Delhi Capitals but was warming up on the bench for most of the time. With his wicket-taking abilities and economical calibre, he can be a suitable option for KKR’s long-term pacer requirement.