New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) The auction ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) in Dubai last year brought joy to Swastik Chikara’s home in Ghaziabad’s Muradnagar, as the Delhi Capitals signed the right-handed opening batter for INR 20 lakh, making him the second-youngest player in that year’s tournament at just 18.
“I was at home then. Everyone was watching the auction together, while my brother saw it on the phone. So, he got to know a few minutes before others that I have been selected by the Delhi Capitals,” said Chikara, now 19, in an exclusive conversation with IANS on Thursday. “He was very happy, while my mother started crying, as it was such a big thing for me to be selected in the IPL for the first time. That day, everyone was very happy,” he said.
Chikara, who didn’t get to play in 2024 and was released by his IPL franchise, hopes that 2025 will be the year he debuts in the tournament. “I am a little nervous this time. But I just want to play IPL this year, that’s my mindset. I want to have the opportunity to play matches this year. I attended the trials of Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. But I was not able to go to other teams’ trials, as I was playing in Ranji Trophy and U23 matches for Uttar Pradesh,” he stated.
Even though Chikara is nervous, he has a strong reason to be hopeful about getting another IPL contract. During the UPT20 League’s second edition, Chikara consistently cleared ropes for fun, smashing 47 sixes and becoming the tournament’s leading run-getter with 499 runs. His top-order batting makes him a valuable asset, especially for teams looking for long-term investments via the upcoming auction on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah.
“I was able to play so well in UP T20 League before I came to IPL so quickly. I want to express my big gratitude to Rajeev Shukla sir and UPCA for bringing a platform like UP T20 League, where I put in great performances,” he said. “I was able to play senior cricket from UP itself. So, the T20 league turned out to be a very good platform. Like, you can see a player playing on TV, and the broadcast of UP T20 League propelled me to play senior cricket and then make an entry into the IPL,” says Chikara.
His impressive performance in the UP T20 League, which included winning the ‘Most Valuable Player of the Tournament’ award and leading his team Meerut Mavericks to victory, was fuelled by Ganguly’s guidance on how to enhance his hitting abilities against fast bowlers during IPL 2024.
“I was told by Ganguly sir during the IPL that I have to work on facing against fast bowlers. So, I focused on perfecting my batting against facing fast bowlers. I practised a lot against them after this year’s IPL, and I learned how to hit big boundaries against them. I started batting with full flow this time in the UPT20 league, where I was very good this year.”
Chikara admits he never thought he’d be part of the IPL so soon, but he’s thankful for the chance to be under Ganguly and Ponting for the Capitals this year. He also made close friendships with Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma, and Lalit Yadav, who Chikara considers like elder brothers. “By being under Sourav and Ricky sirs’, I learned that discipline is very important. The harder you work, the better you practice. Plus, Sourav and Ricky sirs’ taught me how to do knocking of bats and made me go through batting-specific drills.”
Chikara’s father, Surender, has played a significant role in his cricketing development. Surender, a Delhi Police instructor with an athletics background, has a coaching certification from NIS. He built cricket pitches on land belonging to the family and provided formal cricket training to young Swastik.
Chikara draws huge inspiration from Virender Sehwag’s attacking batting style, which he believes has contributed to his own powerful hitting skills. “I used to watch Sehwag since childhood and listened a lot about his batting feats. So, just like him, I wanted to hit at deliveries right from the start and that is now what my mindset is – you have to hit with the first ball – which I have learned from him,” he said.
Following in the footsteps of his idol Sehwag, Chikara’s powerful hitting has garnered attention and made an IPL 2025 contract a real possibility, bringing joy to him and his family. “Domestic cricket is also very good, but IPL is very fast cricket. Everything is perfect there. But I think there is not much difference, as domestic cricket is also the same. It’s just that 11 out of 11 players are best in the IPL, especially where there are also international players,” he concluded.
–IANS
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