Washington Sundar Joins Hampshire to Prepare for Upcoming India-West Indies Test Series
Washington Sundar last played in England during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, where he impressed with seven wickets and 284 runs at an average of nearly 50. After returning to India, he is now heading back to the UK having signed a short-term deal with Hampshire to feature in their final two County Championship Division One matches against Somerset and Surrey.
Washington Sundar, now a key member of India’s Test side will gain good experience playing in English conditions and could also boost Hampshire, who are fighting relegation. He will feature in two matches (Sept 15 vs Somerset, Sept 24 vs Surrey). Left out of India’s Asia Cup squad and the India A vs Australia A series, Sundar was free to get some much-needed game time.
For the Australia A series in Lucknow, the BCCI picked Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian and Harsh Dubey as spin-bowling all-rounders. But Sundar remains a solid choice in India’s Test setup thanks to his all-round show. His memorable knocks at Gabba and Manchester stand out and in India’s last home Test series against New Zealand, he grabbed 16 wickets in just two games. At 25, Sundar has played 40 First-Class matches, including 13 Tests scoring over 1800 runs at an average of 34 and taking 91 wickets at 28, with his best figures of 7/59 coming against New Zealand last year.
A signing we are certain of 😏
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) September 11, 2025
Welcome, Washi 👋🇮🇳
Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar will join the Rose and Crown for our final two @countychamp matches 😍
📰 Full story 👉 https://t.co/vJL4yvFDQG pic.twitter.com/7sUIUhNgqT
Hampshire Docked Eight Points for “Below Average” Pitch
Hampshire’s chances of staying in Division One have suffered a big blow after they were docked eight points for preparing a “below average” pitch in their May match against Sussex. The Cricket Discipline Panel found the Utilita Bowl surface had uneven bounce and too much spin from day two, making batting very tough. Captain Ben Brown even described it as a “lottery.” Along with the points cut, Hampshire were fined £5000.
The penalty pushed Hampshire down from fifth to eighth in the standings, leaving them just six points above the relegation zone with only two games left. Sussex won that match easily, with Jack Carson taking 5 for 26 in the second innings. Coach Paul Farbrace admitted the pitch wasn’t made poor on purpose but turned out “horribly wrong” after being reused too soon. Hampshire now face crucial matches against Somerset and champions Surrey, while also juggling their white-ball campaigns.
Indian Players Participating in the 2025 County Championship Season
| Player | County Team | Matches Played (County Championship 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Shardul Thakur | Essex | 7 matches |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | Yorkshire | Multiple matches (from July 22 onwards) |
| Tilak Varma | Hampshire | 4 matches |
| Ishan Kishan | Nottinghamshire | 2 matches |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | Northamptonshire | County Championship & One-Day Cup matches |
| Khaleel Ahmed | Essex | County Championship & One-Day Cup matches |
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