India allrounder Shardul Thakur has signed to play for Essex in the opening block of County Championship games. Thakur, 33, will be available for seven fixtures during April and May this year.The stint will be a first in county cricket for Thakur,

All-rounder Shardul Thakur will make his County Championship debut for Essex. The Mumbai star will play the premier first-class tournament in England after having lost out on an IPL contract.

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur will play seven matches for County team Essex in Division One from the beginning of the 2025 season, the club announced on Tuesday.

After a tough 2024, which saw him fall out of favor with the Indian test team, Shardul Thakur had marked his Ranji Trophy return with a hat-trick against Meghalaya and a century against Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, Shardul had gone unsold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction as well.

Shardul Thakur, who has so far played 11 Tests, 47 ODIs and 25 T20Is for India, will be playing in the English country circuit for the first time.

Indian cricketer Shardul Thakur will play seven matches for Essex in 2025, marking his debut in the English country cricket scene. Thakur, who has consistently performed well, is eager to showcase his talent at Essex.

India seamer Shardul Thakur signs to play in Essex's first seven games of the 2025 County Championship season.

"I am feeling excited to join Essex this summer. Personally, it brings new challenges and opportunities to showcase my talent and skills. County cricket is something I always wanted to experience and I am glad that I'll be representing the Eagles,” said Thakur.

Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur is set to make his mark in County Cricket after being signed by Essex for seven matches. This exciting opportunity will allow Thakur to showcase his skills in a new and challenging environment.

Shardul Thakur has agreed to a seven-match County Championship deal with Essex from the beginning of the 2025 season.