“I knew my weakness; worked harder on generating reverse swing”- Chetan Sakariya on his bowling in Ranji Trophy 

Chetan Sakariya came of age during the Ranji Trophy 2022/23 season as he had to take on a lot more responsibility than in any of Saurashtra's previous campaigns. Captain Jaydev Unadkat wasn't available for all the knockout games as he received a call-up from the Indian team for the Test series against Bangladesh.

This meant that Sakariya suddenly became the spearhead of the Saurashtra bowling attack. However, he didn't get fazed by the responsibility and rose to the occasion, picking up 27 wickets in nine games, with stellar performances in the semifinals and the final.

Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Chetan Sakariya explained the changes that he made to his bowling to ensure that he was effective even with the older ball. He added:

"I knew my weakness this year. I used to pick wickets with the new ball, but once batters were able to bat through that initial period, I was pretty predictable. So this time in nets I tried to work more with the older ball and bowled with extra effort. This change really helped me in picking up more wickets than last season."

Chetan Sakariya also made his India debut during the 2021 tour of Sri Lanka but hasn't received a call-up since. The left-arm pacer accepted that perhaps he wasn't as prepared for the international level as he should have been and believes that the experience of the past two years has been crucial in his development.

On this, he added:

"After playing so much cricket, I have realized that I need to be consistent and I need to be among the pool of top bowlers in domestic cricket. I realized I wasn't ripe enough when I made my India debut, but now I know my strengths and weaknesses better. I want to ensure that when India look for a pacer, I am their first choice. Like Jaydev bhai, even I want to have variations up my sleeve on an international level. I believe that if I have another good season, I have a good chance of making an India comeback."

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Performance in Ranji Trophy semifinal best in my career: Chetan Sakariya

Chetan Sakariya bowled some crucial spells throughout the Ranji Trophy season and stepped up when his team needed someone to. Sakariya picked up seven wickets in the semifinal against Karnataka and also scored a vital 24 in the fourth innings to help Saurashtra progress to the final.

On this, he stated:

"I have been able to deliver for the team this season whenever they needed me to stand up and it has certainly been a special one for me. Yes you can say my performance in the semifinal has been the best in my career till now."

Chetan Sakariya's rise during the Ranji Trophy has ensured that India have a potential star on their hands.