An important event is the signing of Indian cricketer Shardul Thakur by Essex County for the next English County Championship. With the Championship starting on April 4, the all-rounder has committed to playing in seven county games for Essex County this summer.
Ranji Form by Shardul: A Strengthening for Essex
On the strength of his impressive performance in the current Ranji Trophy, Shardul will be looking to maintain his strong red-ball form and perform at his peak in his first-ever participation in the English County. Shardul, who plays for Mumbai, has taken 34 wickets this season at an average of 21.67, including a hat-trick against Meghalaya, making him the team’s top wicket-taker.
He has also been outstanding with the bat, helping out when needed and saving the squad from difficulty most of the time. This season, he has scored 402 runs at an average of 40.20 in 10 innings, including a spectacular century against Jammu and Kashmir.
Notably, Shardul will be free to play county cricket in England during the first half of the summer and will not be a member of any IPL teams for the 2025 season.
Shardul Eyes Returns to England for Testing
After suffering an injury last year, Shardul—who has played in 11 Test matches for India and contributed to some of the country’s most memorable victories abroad—has been left out of the Indian Test schedule.
This county agreement with Essex presents the ideal chance for him to regain his spot in the Test team before the England series, which will take place later this year when India travels to England for a five-match Test series.
Shardul has participated in 91 first-class (FC) games to far, taking 296 wickets at an average of 27.26 and amassing 2387 FC runs while recording two hundreds. He is playing for Mumbai right now in the Ranji Trophy semi-final that is taking place in Nagpur between Mumbai and Vidarbha.
