Swastik Chhikara is one of the more unusual names in recent IPL auction history: a player who has been part of two IPL squads, sat through two full seasons on the bench, watched his team lift the trophy in 2025, and still waits for his first IPL cap. The 21-year-old opener from Ghaziabad first entered the IPL when Delhi Capitals picked him up at the 2024 auction for INR 20 lakh. He did not play a single match that season, was released, and then became the centre of one of the most talked-about moments of the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured him at his base price of INR 30 lakh after Delhi Capitals’ late bid was missed by the auctioneer. Swastik Chhikara IPL stats make for a short table so far — zero matches, zero runs — but his domestic record, headed by a 499-run UP T20 League 2024 season, explains why franchises keep investing in him.
His story is a reminder that the IPL is as much about scouting and patience as it is about playing time. Chhikara was the second-youngest player signed at the IPL 2024 auction, and his explosive hitting in domestic T20 cricket — 47 sixes in the 2024 UP T20 League alone — marked him as a long-term prospect. He trained with the RCB title-winning squad through 2025 without getting a game, was released ahead of the 2026 auction, and found no takers there. With the IPL 2027 season not yet started and the retention and auction process for the new season still to be announced, his next team remains unconfirmed.
Swastik Chhikara IPL Stats Overview
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Swastik Surender Chikara |
| IPL Debut | Yet to make IPL debut |
| Role | Batter |
| Batting Style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm offbreak |
| Current IPL Team | None — released by RCB ahead of the IPL 2026 auction; IPL 2027 team not officially confirmed |
| IPL Matches | 0 |
| IPL Runs | 0 |
| Highest Score | Not applicable |
| IPL Wickets | 0 |
| Best Bowling | Not applicable |
| IPL 2027 Team | Not officially confirmed |
| IPL 2027 Price | Not officially confirmed |
Who Is Swastik Chhikara?
Swastik Chhikara (spelling also rendered as Swastik Chikara) was born on 3 April 2005 in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. He is a right-handed opening batter who also bowls right-arm offbreak. He came up through Uttar Pradesh age-group cricket and broke through with a remarkable 2024 season in the UP T20 League, turning out for the Meerut Mavericks. Across that tournament he scored 499 runs, finished as the leading run-scorer, and collected the Orange Cap, the MVP award and the Super Striker of the Season award.
His first-class and List A career began in 2023. On his List A debut for Uttar Pradesh against Himachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on 25 November 2023, he scored a century — 117 runs — announcing himself beyond the T20 circuit. Earlier that year he had struck 439 runs in seven matches to help Uttar Pradesh win their maiden Under-23 State A Trophy. He models his aggressive batting on Virender Sehwag, whose fearless hitting he has often credited as his inspiration.
Swastik Chhikara IPL Teams
| Season | Team | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Delhi Capitals | Bought at auction (INR 20 lakh); 0 matches played; released after the season |
| 2025 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Bought at mega auction (INR 30 lakh); 0 matches played; part of title-winning squad; released after the season |
| 2026 | — | Released by RCB ahead of the auction; found no takers at the IPL 2026 auction |
| 2027 | Not officially confirmed | Season not started; retention/auction process not yet announced |
Chhikara’s IPL journey so far is defined by two squads and two releases. Delhi Capitals brought him in as an 18-year-old at the Dubai auction ahead of IPL 2024 but never handed him a game, leaving him on the bench for the entire season. Royal Challengers Bengaluru then picked him at the 2025 mega auction in Jeddah in genuinely dramatic fashion — Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani claimed his franchise’s bid had been missed by auctioneer Mallika Sagar, who admitted the oversight, but the sale to RCB at the base price of INR 30 lakh stood. He spent 2025 with RCB’s maiden title-winning squad without playing, and was released before the 2026 auction, where no franchise bid for him.
Swastik Chhikara IPL 2024 Stats
| Format | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 50s | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batting | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Format | Overs | Wkts | BBI | Avg | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
Delhi Capitals signed Chhikara at the December 2023 auction in Dubai for INR 20 lakh, making him the second-youngest player picked up that year. He did not get a single match in IPL 2024, warming the bench for the entire league stage behind established openers such as David Warner and Prithvi Shaw, and Rishabh Pant‘s return from injury further crowded the batting order. His 2024 season was therefore limited to training with the squad.
Swastik Chhikara IPL 2025 Stats
| Format | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 50s | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batting | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Format | Overs | Wkts | BBI | Avg | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
Chhikara’s 2025 season is best remembered for how he got to RCB rather than what he did there. After Delhi Capitals’ paddle was missed at the Jeddah mega auction, RCB secured him at his INR 30 lakh base price. Former India selector Saba Karim later said he was surprised Chhikara was released without getting a game, having expected the youngster to get an opportunity during the season. He never made the XI, but he was officially part of the squad that won Royal Challengers Bengaluru their maiden IPL title in 2025.
Swastik Chhikara IPL 2026 Stats
| Format | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 50s | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batting | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Format | Overs | Wkts | BBI | Avg | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
RCB released Chhikara ahead of the IPL 2026 auction along with players such as Liam Livingstone and Mayank Agarwal. At the 2026 auction he found no takers, so he was not attached to any IPL franchise for the 2026 season. He kept playing domestic T20 cricket instead, including a striking 195 not out off 69 balls with 21 sixes in the Ayodhya Premier League in March 2026.
Swastik Chhikara IPL 2027 Stats
IPL 2027 statistics are not available yet because the season has not started. Chhikara’s IPL 2027 team and price will only be confirmed once the official retention and auction process for the season is completed. Any team or price reported before official confirmation should be treated as speculation. For the official timeline, see the IPL 2027 retention deadline, rules and purse guide.
Swastik Chhikara IPL 2027 Team and Price
His IPL 2027 team is not officially confirmed. His IPL 2027 price — whether retention price, auction price, or base price — is not officially confirmed. Chhikara last played IPL cricket for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025 (without appearing in a match), was released ahead of the 2026 auction, and found no takers there. The IPL 2027 auction date and venue details will determine when his next opportunity comes, and the mini auction vs mega auction format will shape how uncapped players like him are valued.
Swastik Chhikara IPL Career Batting Stats
| Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 50s | 100s | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chhikara has not yet played an IPL match, so his career IPL batting figures are all zeros — consistent across the 2024, 2025 and 2026 season tables above. His domestic T20 record tells a different story: he was the standout batter of the UP T20 League 2024, scoring 499 runs at a strike rate of 186 with 47 sixes.
Swastik Chhikara IPL Stats by Year
| Season | Team | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 50s | 100s | Wkts | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Delhi Capitals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 2025 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2026 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Career | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Swastik Chhikara IPL Highest Score
Chhikara has not yet recorded an IPL innings, so he has no verified IPL highest score. His highest scores in other cricket are far more impressive: 117 on List A debut for Uttar Pradesh against Himachal Pradesh in the 2023-24 Vijay Hazare Trophy, an unbeaten 114 in the UP T20 League 2024, and 195 not out off 69 balls in the Ayodhya Premier League in March 2026.
Swastik Chhikara IPL Batting Records
Chhikara holds no IPL batting records, having never played an IPL match. His record book is currently domestic: most runs in the UP T20 League 2024 (499), plus the Orange Cap, MVP and Super Striker of the Season awards from the same tournament — a haul that made him the most talked-about uncapped batter at the 2025 mega auction.
Swastik Chhikara IPL Auction Price History
| Season | Team | Price (INR) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Delhi Capitals | 20 lakh | Auction |
| 2025 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 30 lakh (base price) | Mega auction |
| 2026 | — | — | Released by RCB; unsold at auction |
| 2027 | Not officially confirmed | Not officially confirmed | Season not started; retention/auction not yet announced |
Auction prices and base prices are not interchangeable: Chhikara’s INR 20 lakh DC deal in 2024 was a standard auction signing, while his INR 30 lakh RCB deal in 2025 was struck at his base price in the mega auction — no other franchise’s bid was recognised before the gavel fell. He was never retained by either franchise, so there is no retention price on record.
Swastik Chhikara IPL Records and Achievements
- Bought by Delhi Capitals at the IPL 2024 auction for INR 20 lakh at age 18 — the second-youngest player signed that year.
- Bought by Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the IPL 2025 mega auction for INR 30 lakh amid a bidding controversy with Delhi Capitals.
- Officially part of RCB’s maiden IPL title-winning squad in 2025, despite not playing a match.
- UP T20 League 2024: 499 runs (most in the tournament), Orange Cap, MVP, and Super Striker of the Season for the Meerut Mavericks.
- List A debut century: 117 for Uttar Pradesh vs Himachal Pradesh, Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023-24.
- 439 runs in seven matches as Uttar Pradesh won their maiden Under-23 State A Trophy in 2023.
Swastik Chhikara’s IPL Performance Analysis
There is no on-field IPL performance to analyse yet — Chhikara’s three-season IPL ledger reads zero matches, zero runs. That makes him an interesting case study in how franchises value domestic form. Delhi Capitals saw enough in his age-group and early domestic performances to spend INR 20 lakh on an 18-year-old in 2024, but never found room for him in a batting order built around David Warner, Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant. RCB then paid INR 30 lakh in 2025 and still kept him on the bench through a title-winning campaign, which suggests they bought him as a development project rather than an immediate option.
The trend that matters for his future is his domestic trajectory: 499 runs at a strike rate of 186 in the 2024 UP T20 League, followed by a List A record that includes a debut hundred, and the 195 not out off 69 balls in March 2026. He was released without playing a single game in both his IPL seasons, so his 2027 prospects depend entirely on whether a franchise is willing to bet that his domestic ball-striking finally translates to the IPL stage. Former India selector Saba Karim has already publicly questioned why he never got a game, which keeps his name alive in auction conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Swastik Chhikara made his IPL debut?
No. Despite being part of the Delhi Capitals squad in 2024 and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad in 2025, he has not played a single IPL match.
Which IPL teams has Swastik Chhikara played for?
He was signed by Delhi Capitals in 2024 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025, but did not play for either. He was released by RCB ahead of the 2026 auction and found no takers there, so he had no IPL team in 2026.
What was Swastik Chhikara’s IPL auction price?
Delhi Capitals bought him for INR 20 lakh at the IPL 2024 auction, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru bought him for INR 30 lakh (his base price) at the IPL 2025 mega auction.
What is Swastik Chhikara’s IPL 2027 team?
Not officially confirmed. The IPL 2027 season has not started and the retention and auction process has not been announced yet.
What is Swastik Chhikara’s batting style and role?
He is a right-handed opening batter who also bowls right-arm offbreak. He is best known for his aggressive hitting, modelled on Virender Sehwag’s batting.
Why did the IPL 2025 mega auction make headlines for Swastik Chhikara?
Delhi Capitals claimed their bid for him was missed by the auctioneer, who admitted the oversight, but the sale to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at INR 30 lakh stood because the gavel had already fallen.
What is Swastik Chhikara’s best domestic performance?
His standout season was the UP T20 League 2024, where he scored 499 runs for the Meerut Mavericks — the most in the tournament — winning the Orange Cap, MVP and Super Striker of the Season awards. He also scored 117 on List A debut for Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Was Swastik Chhikara part of RCB’s IPL title win?
Yes. He was officially part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad that won their maiden IPL title in 2025, though he did not play a match in the tournament.
Sources and Data Notes
Facts in this article were checked against the official IPL site (iplt20.com), Wisden, CricTracker, Sportskeeda, SportsCafe, SportsDigest, SwagCricket, MyKhel, and IANS news agency reporting on the IPL auctions. Auction prices, team history and the 2025 mega-auction bidding controversy are covered across these sources. Domestic statistics (UP T20 League, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Ayodhya Premier League) come from tournament and press reporting. Statistics and player information are checked against available reliable sources and may be updated as new IPL matches, transfers, or official announcements are confirmed.
Statistics updated through: 10 October 2026
