Cheteshwar Pujara signs for Sussex for the County Championship and a one-day tournament after IPL 2022

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Cheteshwar Pujara signed for Sussex as a replacement for Australian batsman Travis Head. The County Championship side said the India batter will be available for the full duration of the County and Royal London one-day cup.

Cheteshwar Pujara headed for the County Stint in Sussex after a Test break (AFP Photo)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Pujara signed for Sussex for the County Championship, one-day tournament
  • Pujara was dropped from India’s testing team for the Sri Lankan series
  • Pujara previously played for Yorkshire in the County Championship

Veteran batsman from India Cheteshwar Pujara has signed a deal with Sussex which will allow him to play in the English county for the full duration of the County Championship and Royal London’s one-day tournament. Pujara previously had county stays at Yorkshire. He had signed up to play 6 games for Gloucestershire in 2020 but his contract was terminated due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The decision to play in England comes after Cheteshwar Pujara failed to find buyers at the 2022 Indian Premier League mega auction. Pujara did not travel to England for a stay in the county last year despite India’s tour of England as he was bought by Chennai Super Kings at the IPL 2021 auction.

Pujara was also dropped from the test side for the ongoing two-match series against Sri Lanka at home after a decent performance during India’s tour of South Africa earlier this year. However, the chairman of India’s national selection committee, Chetan Sharma, said the door will be open to both Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, who also faced the axe.

Pujara replaces Australia’s Travis Head as overseas batsman for Sussex in the upcoming county and one-day tournament.

“Pujara will arrive in time for the first championship game of the season and will stay until at least the end of the RL50 competition,” Sussex said.

Meanwhile, Sussex have also signed Josh Philippe from Australis as a temporary replacement for Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan.

“Following the re-arrangement of the one-day series Pakistan v West Indies for early June, we are expecting Mohammad Rizwan for the early part of the league season and at least eight of the blast group games. He will join from current Pakistan against the West Indies Test series will be tested in Australia in time for the second round of the Championship, which begins on April 14. To ensure we have the strongest squad available for the remaining blast games and league games during this period we have signed Australian batsman/keeper Josh Philippe,” the club added.

ENJOYED PLAYING IN THE UK: PUJARA

“I am delighted and honored to be a part of historic Sussex County Cricket Club for the coming season. I look forward to soon joining the Sussex family and being part of their rich cricket history,” Pujara said in a statement from Sussex.

“Over the years I’ve always enjoyed my time in the UK playing county cricket so I’m really looking forward to the new period and hope to be able to contribute to the club’s success.”

Pujara recently played for Saurashtra in the league stage of the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy. In 3 games he had 191 runs, including 2 fifties. However, Saurashtra failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament, finishing second behind Mumbai in Elite Group D.

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