When Ranji Trophy spinner D.T. Chandrasekar assessed the depth last year, he identified seven – himself included – whom he felt had the calibre for first-class cricket. Apart from the regulars Sai Kishore and Ajith Ram, the 22-year-old Sachin Rathi was among them.
Sachin has since come to the fore as the top wicket-taker in the Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy this season, with 55 wickets from 16 innings so far.
On Monday, the youngster insisted his approach has remained simple: bowl his ball, trust his preparation, and contribute to the team in every way possible. He credited Sai Kishore and Varun Chakaravarthy for helping him keep it simple.
“They told me, ‘You should just have confidence in yourself. Whoever the batter is, it doesn’t matter – just go and bowl your ball. If it releases well from the hand, no batter matters. The simpler you keep cricket, the easier it becomes,’” he said after the opening day’s play in the final against Maharashtra at the NPR College Ground.
His distinctive diagonal run-up, cutting across the umpire and stumps, is a deliberate choice. Earlier, he bowled from a straight run-up, but on his coach Sandeep Rathi’s advice, he tried a diagonal run-up, which helped the ball come out “well from the hand” and created “a bit of drift.”
His bowling action includes a small leap into a long delivery stride. It helps him “get extra bounce” and impart more spin through “full transfer of body weight.”
He believes that his run-up and action make it “a bit difficult” for the batter “to read” him. “Whenever anyone sees my run-up and action, they say it’s like a medium-pacer’s. Mine is like that, with a bit of jump. A spinner doesn’t usually get that much jump,” he added.
He gives the ball more air and operates at a gentler pace. “If we give it a bit of flight, the batter gets tempted into thinking he can score runs. From the beginning, I’ve bowled like this (at gentler speeds). I don’t look to bowl fast because a spinner’s job is to turn the ball. I think to myself that I should turn the ball as much as possible. If the ball turns even a little, then it’s much better,” he said.
Sachin, who began with tennis-ball cricket, said that he still uses a tennis ball off the field to build finger strength, which helps him spin the leather ball more effectively.
For him, the goal is clear – to play for India. But he knows that in a country teeming with cricketers, the only way forward is through relentless work and consistency.
“Everyone starts playing cricket looking to play for India. I just try to focus on practice as much as possible. You have to give 200 per cent instead of 100 per cent to everything. In India, so many people are playing cricket. Right now, I’m doing it here; then, someone else will come through in the u-23s and do well too. Now I have to do it in senior cricket as well. With continuous cricket, you have to keep performing,” he said.
An immediate step towards that goal would be helping Tamil Nadu win its maiden Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy title. The clash against Maharashtra marks its first-ever final in the competition. Having already won the BCCI men’s u-23 State-A (One-Day) Trophy, Tamil Nadu is now eyeing a double this season – a feat Punjab achieved last season.
He also revealed that Indian Premier League teams Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders have invited him for net bowling after the ongoing final.
Published on Mar 10, 2026
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