The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will be very pleased with how things are transpiring this summer. First of all, India are touring them for a 5-match Test series. And now, two prominent cricketers have signed deals to play in the County Championship.
Tilak Varma to play County cricket
Yesterday, we heard Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad will feature for Yorkshire. Today, news arrives that Tilak Varma, a prominent member of the Mumbai Indians, will play for Hampshire.
In the past, there may not have been much buzz but since the Indian Premier League (IPL) has become the biggest cricket tournament, fans of both franchises will be keeping tabs on Gaikwad and Tilak. Not to forget, both have represented India as well and the latter is a regular in the T20I team.
According to Cricbuzz, Tilak is expected to play four first-class matches for Hampshire. This means he’ll be in England from June 18 to August 2, the entire duration of the 5-match Test series. He may stay further back and play in the One-Day Cup as well, like Gaikwad, but that isn’t confirmed yet.
Tilak isn’t part of India’s Test plans but much like Gaikwad, he would like to make himself available in case of an injury or if someone falls out of form. He’s got a good first-class record and having experience playing in England will improve his chances of selection in the future.
“The Hyderabad Cricket Association is happy to inform that Hyderabad International player Mr. N Thakur Tilak Varma has been approached by the team Hampshire County to play in the UK County Championship League. The Hyderabad Cricket Association wishes him a great stint with Hampshire County,” the HCA said in a release.
Tilak Varma first-class stats
| Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 28 | 1204 | 121 | 50.16 | 58.76 | 5 | 4 |
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