New Delhi: India’s left-arm fast-bowler Arshdeep Singh has signed a deal with Kent to play five County Championship matches in June and July 2023.
Subject to regulatory approval, Arshdeep will be available for Kent’s home matches against Surrey and Warwickshire as well as away games against Northamptonshire, Essex and Nottinghamshire in the County Championship in June and July.
He will become the fourth Indian player to wear the Kent jersey after Kanwar Shumshere Singh, current India head coach Rahul Dravid and fast bowler Navdeep Saini, who played for the club in 2022.
“I am excited to play red-ball cricket in England and continue to improve my skills in the first-class game. I look forward to performing in front of Kent’s Members and supporters; Rahul Dravid has already told me it is a Club with a great history,” said Arshdeep on his association with the club.
Arshdeep had a breakout season for Punjab Kings in IPL 2022, taking 10 wickets from 14 matches at an economy rate of 7.70, apart from being a pivotal figure in their death over bowling.
The 24-year-old made his T20I debut against England in July 2022. He played all three of his ODIs to date in New Zealand in November later in the year and has clocked 29 international appearances for India.
“We’re delighted to have a player of Arshdeep’s potential join us for five matches this Summer. He has demonstrated that he has world-class skills with the white ball, and I am very confident he will be able to put those skills to good use with the red ball in the County Championship,” said Paul Downton, Kent’s Director of Cricket.
Arshdeep stepped up admirably in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence to pick ten wickets for India in their run to the semifinals in the Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia. In seven career first-class matches till date, he has taken 25 wickets at an average of 23.84 and an economy rate of 2.92.
Apart from Arshdeep, Kent have also confirmed Australia fast bowler Kane Richardson as an overseas player for the Vitality T20 Blast, and South African spin-bowling allrounder George Linde, who will be in the second year of his two-year deal as an overseas player for Kent in all formats.
(IANS)
