Former India opener Mayank Agarwal has joined Durham for the final four matches of the County Championship season.
The 35-year-old batter will play under England star Ben Stokes as Durham look to strengthen their squad for the final part of the red-ball campaign.
Mayank Agarwal gets County Championship opportunity
Durham needed an experienced international batter after South African player David Bedingham returned for the domestic red-ball season.
Mayank has now been brought in as his replacement. Durham head coach Ryan Campbell welcomed the Indian batter and praised his first-class record.
Campbell said the team wanted an experienced international player after Bedingham’s departure and hoped Mayank could play an important role in Durham’s push to return to Division One.
Mayank has been out of Team India since 2022
Mayank Agarwal last played for India in 2022. He has represented India in 21 Tests and five ODIs, scoring four Test centuries.
Although he has been away from the national team for several years, his move to Durham gives him another chance to continue playing high-level red-ball cricket. The County Championship stint could also help him maintain his form and rhythm in the longer format.
Mayank Agarwal’s final four County Championship matches
Mayank will be available for Durham’s remaining four matches of the season.
| Match | Date |
|---|---|
| Durham vs Northamptonshire | September 2-5 |
| Durham vs Middlesex | September 8-11 |
| Durham vs Worcestershire | September 15-18 |
| Durham vs Lancashire | September 24-27 |
Indian cricketers making their mark in County Championship
Mayank is not the only Indian player currently featuring in the English county circuit. Several Indian cricketers are representing different county teams.
| No. | Indian Player | County Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuzvendra Chahal | Northamptonshire |
| 2 | Sai Kishore | Gloucestershire |
| 3 | Rahul Chahar | Surrey |
| 4 | Jaydev Unadkat | Sussex |
| 5 | Auqib Nabi | Surrey |
| 6 | Mahipal Lomror | Surrey |
Kuldeep Yadav and Manav Suthar have also recently featured in short county stints.
Durham recently involved in Brydon Carse controversy
Durham recently made headlines for an incident involving fast bowler Brydon Carse. Carse was reportedly seen in handcuffs while police were present in Derby after Durham’s victory against Derbyshire.
Ben Stokes and Matthew Potts were also reportedly present. Carse was later released without any formal charges.
The incident also resulted in him being left out of England’s squad for the second Test against Pakistan. However, Carse continued to play for Durham. He featured in their next match against Gloucestershire, taking four wickets and scoring 20 runs as Durham secured a 10-wicket victory.