Indian cricketer Shardul Thakur has signed a seven-match deal to play for Essex in the County Championship starting in April and May 2025. The 33-year-old all-rounder is eager to impress and hopes to make a return to the Test team.
Later this year, India will play five Test matches in England. If Shardul performs well, he could earn a spot on the team. Recently, he was not included in India’s squad for the Test series against Australia, and the coach is focusing on younger players like Nitish Kumar Reddy instead.
Shardul has played 83 matches for India across all formats and has taken 129 wickets, with 31 of those coming from 11 Test matches. He started his international career in August 2017 with an ODI against Sri Lanka, followed by his Test debut against the West Indies in September 2018.
In first-class cricket, Shardul has taken 296 wickets with an average of 27.45 and scored over 2,000 runs, including two centuries and 15 half-centuries.
Recently, he had an incredible performance in a Ranji Trophy game against Meghalaya, scoring 84 runs in just 42 balls and taking a hat-trick, finishing with great figures of 8/91. Just before that, he scored 51 and 119 in a match against Jammu and Kashmir, partnering for a key 184-run stand for the eighth wicket.
Shardul Excited About Joining Essex
“I am excited to join Essex this summer. It brings new challenges and opportunities to show my skills,” Shardul said in a statement.
Chris Silverwood, Essex’s Director of Cricket, expressed his happiness about Shardul joining the team. “We’re thrilled to sign Shardul. We needed a quality bowler who can bat well, and he fits perfectly. We can’t wait to see him play in the County Championship,” he said.
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