Chinmay Sutar eyes road to IPL:Father opened with Sachin Tendulkar, illness kept him away from cricket for 11 months

Maratha Royals’ star batter and last year’s Mumbai Cricket League (MCL) Orange Cap winner, Chinmay Sutar, has revealed his strategies for the upcoming season. Sutar said that this year in the MCL, he will make every effort to grab the attention of the IPL franchises with his excellent performance for the 2027 season. He spoke openly about his early days, career ups and downs, and his father’s contribution to his success. Chinmay, who has held a bat since the age of 5, stated that he primarily considers himself a pure batter who can also bowl spin when needed. He also has had an in-hand experience of England’s top-level division cricket. Mumbai batter Chinmay stressed on his father’s influence Chinmay Sutar spoke about his family background and inclination towards cricket, stating that there has always been a sporting atmosphere in his home. His father, Rajesh, himself has been an excellent cricketer and had also opened with the great batter Sachin Tendulkar. Talking about his father’s influence, Chinmay said, “I have been watching my dad play cricket since childhood. Seeing him, I always felt that I should also play cricket. This is how my love for cricket developed. When dad played on the field, I felt very good and enjoyed watching it a lot. Seeing my interest, he started my cricket career.” ‘Understood professional cricket in U-14 days’ – Chinmay Sutar When Chinmay was asked if he had decided in his childhood that he wanted to become a professional cricketer, he said, “No, not at all. Nothing like that was decided in the beginning. I just enjoyed playing and I fully enjoyed the game. But when I saw my father playing and later started playing age-group matches myself, then I understood what professional cricket is.” He further added, “After playing school games, when I started playing age-group cricket like Under-14 and then A-division club cricket, that’s when I truly got an idea of what the path of professional cricket is like and which matches we can play to advance in life.” Chinmay shared about his challenges at the age of 15 In the early days of his career, this young player faced a major challenge. At the age of 15, he fell seriously ill, which put a break on his game. Remembering that difficult period, Chinmay said, “That time was very sensitive (emotional) for me mentally. During that illness, I could not play cricket for almost 10 to 11 months. It is extremely difficult for a player to stay away from the field for such a long time, but I did not give up and kept myself mentally strong.” Mumbai batter shared father’s pivotal role in his cricket career To overcome the difficult period and for always being there in every situation, Chinmay described his father as his biggest guide. He said, “Absolutely, my dad is my coach and I have been following him since childhood. Whenever I felt down in cricket or in life, he always helped me and still does. He is the biggest part of my life. When my times are not good, he handles me. I am very lucky to have a dad who explains every nuance of cricket to me.” ‘Completely a batter, can also bowl spin’: Chinmay focused on his role Talking about his playing style and his role in the team, the Maratha Royals player clarified that he relies more on his batting than being an all-rounder. Chinmay, who won the Orange Cap with a brilliant performance in the Mumbai Cricket League, said about his position, “I am completely a batter and like to bat in the top order. Yes, I can also bowl spin for the team, but my main identity is batting.”