Seven Indian Test Players to Play County Cricket in Bid to Prepare for the Windies Series

The limited-over format cricket has grabbed the mindset of the Indian National Cricket team fans with the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) in its mid-stages. The focus will soon shift to the much-awaited ICC World Cup 2019 after the end of the franchise-based T20 league. However, amidst all these, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to provide its Test players some game time ahead of the Test series against Windies after the marquee event.

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Seven of Indian National Cricket Team’s Test specialists may play County Cricket to keep themselves ready for the five-day format. Virat Kohli & Co last played a Test match against Australia in their home turf and scripted history by winning the first Test series on Aussie soil. They are currently top-ranked Test team in the ICC Rankings and will be keen to hold onto the spot when the Test series begins after a few gruelling months of ODI cricket.

Rahane to play for Hampshire

BCCI have decided few players like Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Prithvi Shaw, Hanuma Vihari, Mayank Agarwal, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Sharma to feature for various county teams during the month of June and mid-July. Pujara has a three-deal with Yorkshire and will feature for them while Ajinkya Rahane has sought permission to feature for Hampshire. He has also forwarded the same letter to Supreme Court appointed COA from through BCCI CEO Rahul Johri. Rahane is waiting for approval from two more COA members to strike the deal with Hampshire.

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“Pujara’s contract was a deal between him and the county and it’s a long term deal,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on Friday. “CoA head Vinod Rai has already given his approval but Diana Edulji and Lt General Ravi Thodage are yet to give their approvals,” he added.

Some of the county team that BCCI is talking to include Leicestershire, Essex, Nottinghamshire. The apex body is looking for three to four first-class games for its Test players to prepare for the Windies series.