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There is no cricket like county cricket. The stakes are quite high here in English conditions playing county. The conditions utterly unfamiliar and the challenge of mastering unfamiliarity with unbridled courage and most importantly, application, it could be argued that once a cricketer plays County Championship cricket, he becomes an even stronger competitor than ever before.
This is also the feeling that one gets in the context of three precious Indian talents that must play County, and whose better days, one could argue, remain in the future. They've made runs all over and in different parts of the world but the general feeling is that, once these names play county cricket in England, their game will have risen to another new level.
Having said that, who are these names and what are their chances of playing English County Championship soon:
3 Indian players expected to play for English county teams
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Having secured a deal with the great Yorkshire County, a legend of the cult County Cricket championship, Gaikwad, whose batting suggests he too can be a legend, is in quite a good stead in his career at the moment. A that that is really pleasing to the eye, and someone who can change gears quickly, Gaikwas, who vice- captained India during their most recent outing in Zimbabwe, as of 2024, will mature further as a cricketer once he plays the County cricket.
His timing, elegance and technical virtuosity allow him to make big scores and once experienced here in the challenging English conditions, the Indian team will like that from their capable right hander.
Tilak Varma
For someone who has recently been signed by none other than the great Hampshire county for the forthcoming County Championship, it remains to be seen if the fantastically talented and hugely committed Tilak Varma can set the stage on fire for his maiden English county.
An aggressive, no-holds-batter, whose batting is composed of thinking and planning his game, Varma is a gold of a find for India and his ability to hit runs under the pressure situations make him an able cricketer not only in the Mumbai Indians colours but in the colours of his team India.
He will be great one to watch in the contests up ahead in England. He's also proven himself in unfamiliar conditions such as the Caribbean where a couple of summers ago, he smashed the West Indies in that series' T20 contests, even as the hosts ended on the right side of the results.
Shubman Gill
A class act and a man of composure and one meant for the big stages, there's so much to like about the current or recently made Test captain of team India. He must get the exposure and the much criticial experience added to his CV of playing in challenging English conditions. He may not have been signed at the moment by a particular English county team, but his ability to stay cool in uncertain times and answer with the bat, having not been a man of too many words, make him a great joy to watch.
Probably, the County Championship will watch the Indian captain closely this forthcoming series and then decide to sign him. What do you reckon?
