India allrounder Shardul Thakur has signed with Essex for the opening block of County Championship matches, marking his debut in county cricket. Thakur, 33, will be available for seven games in April and May this year.
This will be Thakur’s first county stint, following a successful career with India, where he has taken over 100 wickets across all formats, with his most recent appearance during the 2023-24 tour of South Africa.
Thakur has been in strong domestic form, amassing over 400 runs and taking 34 wickets at an average of 21.67, helping Mumbai reach the semi-finals of the ongoing Ranji Trophy. With India opting for Nitish Kumar Reddy as an allrounder during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and Reddy excelling with the bat but struggling with the ball, a successful spell in Essex could propel Thakur back into the Test squad ahead of India’s upcoming tour to England for a five-match series starting June 20 in Leeds.
“I’m excited to join Essex this summer,” Thakur said. “It brings new challenges and opportunities to showcase my talent. County cricket is something I’ve always wanted to experience, and I’m thrilled to be representing the Eagles.”
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Thakur joins a growing list of India internationals to have played County Championship cricket at Chelmsford, including Umesh Yadav, Murali Vijay, and India’s current head coach, Gautam Gambhir.
He will team up with fellow overseas bowler Simon Harmer as Essex looks to make a strong start in their bid for a first Championship title since 2019, beginning with a home match against reigning champions Surrey.
“We’re thrilled to have Shardul on board,” said Chris Silverwood, Essex’s returning director of cricket. “We knew we needed a high-quality quick bowler with lower-order batting ability, and Shardul fits the bill perfectly. We look forward to welcoming him and seeing how he performs in the County Championship.”
