Yuzvendra Chahal (Image: AFP)
Yuzvendra Chahal will become the second Indian to be playing for Kent after seamer Arshdeep Singh.
Ace India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has signed up with English county side Kent. Chahal will play three matches for Kent in the County Championship. He will be available for the matches against Nottinghamshire and Lancashire which will be played at home, while in the away contest, Chahal will play versus Somerset.
“This is an exciting challenge for me, playing in English county cricket, and one I’m very much looking forward to,” Chahal said in a club statement.
Asia Cup 2023 Full Schedule | Asia Cup 2023 Complete Results | Asia Cup 2023 Full Coverage
Recently, Chahal failed to make the cut for India’s ODI World Cup squad as India decided to pick Kuldeep Yadav over him while Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel were chosen as the spin all-round options.
He will become the second Indian to be playing for the side after seamer Arshdeep Singh, who featured in five games for Kent in June-July, capturing 13 wickets.
“We’re delighted to have secured a spinner of Yuzvendra’s quality for the last three Championship matches of the season, with Matt Parkinson not available to us until next year, and Hami Qadri recently injured,” club head coach Paul Downton said.
“He is really looking forward to playing in English conditions and will bring a significant amount of skill and international experience to our squad.”
Chahal, who is yet to make his Test debut with India, has played 33 First-Class matches, claiming 87 wickets at an average of 35.25, including three four-fors (in an innings) and a couple of fifers (in an innings). His best figures read 6 for 44 (innings) and 8 for 112 (game).
Live Score Pakistan vs Bangladesh Asia Cup 2023
Considering his recent FC outings, he featured in two meetings for Haryana during the Ranji Trophy last season, bagging three wickets at an average of 92.33.
As for Kent, it is currently placed at the ninth spot of the Division 1 table and faces the risk of being relegated.
On Chahal’s snub from the ODI WC squad, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar said his name did come up for discussion during the selection meeting, it was difficult to fit in two wrist spinners in the squad.
“Chahal was discussed, but sometimes it is the balance of the side we had to look at. Kuldeep has been really good, Axar has done well, but to fit two wrist spinners was difficult, so Chahal had to miss out,” Agarkar said.
