Ishan Kishan Set to Make County Championship Debut with Nottinghamshire

Ishan Kishan is now the third Indian cricketer to sign a County Championship deal within 10 days. Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad joined Yorkshire and Tilak Varma signed with Hampshire. Kishan has now signed with Nottinghamshire, but only for two matches.

Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan will replace Kyle Verreynne, who is away playing a two-match Test series for South Africa against Zimbabwe. Kishan will keep wickets for Nottinghamshire during Verreynne’s absence. He is set to play two matches against Yorkshire from June 22 to 26 at Trent Bridge, and against Somerset from June 29 to July 2 in Taunton. Although Ruturaj Gaikwad has signed with Yorkshire, Kishan won’t face him, as Gaikwad’s County stint starts only in mid-July.

🇮🇳 Welcome to Trent Bridge, Ishan Kishan!

The Indian wicketkeeper-batter joins on a two-match Rothesay County Championship deal.

Full story 👉 https://t.co/ham6NseWty #WelcomeIshan pic.twitter.com/keM4meopfc

— Notts Outlaws (@TrentBridge) June 20, 2025

It looks like a smart move from Ishan Kishan to stay close to the action. He wasn’t picked for India’s Test squad in England, with Dhruv Jurel getting the nod instead. But by staying back in England and playing county cricket, Kishan keeps himself available in case India needs a backup due to injury. If he had gone back to India, getting a visa and flying back at short notice might’ve been tricky. This way, he’s ready if the call comes. Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad might’ve made similar decisions for the same reason staying prepared and close by.

“I’m feeling very excited to get my first taste of playing county cricket in England, and it will be a great chance to showcase my skills. I want to make sure I am the best cricketer I can be, and playing in English conditions will really help me to learn new skills. Trent Bridge is such a famous ground that is well-known in India and around the world, and I am really excited that I will be playing there.” Ishan Kishan said in a statement released by Nottinghamshire CCC.

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