I Wish My Father Was Here To See This, Says Chetan Sakariya On His India Call-Up
Published - 11 Jun 2021, 03:21 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:47 AM
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Saurashtra and Rajasthan Royals (RR) left-arm fast bowler Chetan Sakariya received his maiden India call-up as the BCCI announced the squad for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in July. India will be playing three T20Is and three ODIs against the Island nation team under the captaincy of Shikhar Dhawan.
The three T20Is will be played on July 13, 16, and 18, while the three ODIs will be played on July 21, 23, and 25 all to be played in R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo. The BCCI has named a 20-man squad for the series which will see some of the white-ball specialists trying to prove a point before the T20 World Cup.
While Shikhar Dhawan has been named captain, Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be the vice-captain of the team. There are many new faces in the squad with Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Nitish Rana, K Gowtham, and Chetan Sakariya receiving maiden India call-up.
I Wish My Father Had Been Here To See This. He Wanted Me To Play For India: Chetan Sakariya
Chetan Sakariya had done wonderfully well in his maiden IPL outing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021, picking 7 wickets in 7 matches and even earning a Man of the Match award as well. It was a roller-coaster ride for the left-arm pacer who has lost his younger brother before the IPL 2021 auction in which he earned a Rs 1.2 crore contract.
After the IPL 2021 got suspended due to the COVID outbreak, Sakariya lost his father to ill health after contracting COVID and being admitted to the hospital.
“I wish my father had been here to see this. He wanted me to play for India. I miss him a lot today. God has made me see ups and downs in a span of one year. It has been a very emotional ride so far. I lost my younger brother and a month later I got a big IPL contract. I lost my father last month, and god has handed me an India call-up. I was in the hospital for seven days when my father was battling for his life. This is an irreplaceable void. This one is for my late father and for my mother, who allowed me to continue with my cricket,” Sakariya told The Indian Express.
His performance in half an IPL prompted the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee to pick him for the Sri Lanka tour. Sakariya has never played for India A.
After The IPL, I Was Thinking That Now At Least I Have A Chance To Be A Net Bowler For The Indian Team: Chetan Sakariya
The BCCI selection panel chose Chetan Sakariya over Jaydev Unadkat for the left-arm seam option after his seven wickets for Royals in as many matches at an economy rate of 8.22 impressed those concerned.
“The way people were talking about me after the IPL, I was thinking that now at least I have a chance to be a net bowler for the Indian team. I never expected that I will straightaway be picked in the main squad for Sri Lanka. Now it has happened, I will give my best,” Sakariya said.
The three T20Is will be played on July 13, 16, and 18, while the three ODIs will be played on July 21, 23, and 25 all to be played in R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo.
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