Shardul Thakur Aims for India Comeback with Essex in County Championship 2025
The star Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur was highly impressed with his performance in the recent Ranji Trophy 2024-25. Now, he is set to play seven matches for Essex in Division One of the County Championship, starting at the beginning of the 2025 season.
In England's county cricket, this will be Thakur's first appearance. The 33-year-old has represented India in 25 T20Is, 47 ODIs and 11 Tests. He scored 331 runs with an average of 19.47 including four fifties, he also has 31 wickets with an impressive average of 28.38 in Tests.
The Indian team has a five-match Test tour against England in June. Shardul Thakur will now have a chance to play regularly in English conditions, which will help him prove his form and fitness and benefit India.
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Shardul Thakur’s strong performance in the Ranji Trophy
🚨 SHARDUL THAKUR TO COUNTY CRICKET 🚨
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 18, 2025
- Essex is set to sign Shardul Thakur for this county season. [Nisarg Naik]
Huge boost for him ahead of the England Test series. pic.twitter.com/czMp7r7On4
Recently in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, Shardul Thakur was been in great form with both bat and ball for Mumbai. He scored 51 runs and an unbeaten 119 for Mumbai against Jammu & Kashmir last month in a much-needed situation.
He also smashed a quick 84 against Meghalaya in the Ranji Trophy group stage and took a hat-trick in the same match, making a strong statement with both his batting and bowling for a potential return to the national team. His last appearance for India was in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
In last year's IPL season, he scored only 21 runs in nine matches and took only five wickets with an average of 61.80. Due to his disappointing performance last year, he has remained unsold in the IPL 2025 mega-auction.
But he made an excellent comeback in domestic cricket and now looking ahead to the County Championship in England.
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