Courtesy: BCCI/Essex
Indian cricketer Shardul Thakur has signed with Essex to play in seven County Championship matches in the April and May window after being snubbed by the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises for the 2025 season. It will be a first such kind of stint overseas in the career of the 33-year-old after he surprisingly went unsold in the IPL mega auction in November last year, and currently, the bowling all-rounder is playing in the Ranji Trophy semi-final for Mumbai against Vidarbha in Nagpur.
Notably, Shardul Thakur last played for the Indian cricket team during their 2023-24 tour to South Africa, and with that, he has been a part of the national setup for quite some time. Despite that, he has been in exceptional form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, scoring in excess of 400 runs and taking more than 30 wickets, to help Mumbai reach the semi-final of the competition.
I am feeling excited to join Essex this summer: Shardul Thakur
After joining Essex for seven County Championship matches, Shardul Thakur was quoted as saying, as per ESPNcricinfo, “I am feeling excited to join Essex this summer. Personally, it brings new challenges and opportunities to showcase my talent and skills. County cricket is something I always wanted to experience and I am glad that I'll be representing the Eagles.”
Following a good Ranji Trophy season, a run of good results with bat and more importantly, the ball, will bring Shardul Thakur right into the mix for a potential spot in the Indian cricket team for their five-match Test series in England this summer. The first Test match of the series between India and England is set to begin on June 20 at the Headingley in Leeds.
The Director of Cricket at Essex, Chris Silverwood, spoke highly about the signing of the Indian international, and his comment read, “We're absolutely thrilled to get the signing of Shardul over the line. We were very clear amongst ourselves that a high-quality quick bowler, with lower-order batting ability, was a key target for the club this winter. In Shardul, we have signed just that, and we can't wait to welcome him to Essex and see how he gets on in the County Championship.”
