Three Indian players will compete in England’s ongoing edition of the County Championship 2025. Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Yuzvendra Chahal are the three Indians in County Championship 2025. All three players will participate in the tournament for a few matches and will not be available throughout the tournament.
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What is County Championship 2025？
The County Championship is divided into two divisions – Division A and Division B. The tournament commenced in April this year and will run until the end of September, with each team playing 15 matches in the tournament.
Why BCCI Allow Indian Players to Join County Cricket But Not Other Overseas Leagues？
The BCCI allows Indian players to compete in the County Championship as the event doesn’t clash with the IPL and India’s domestic schedule. Allowing the players to compete in the tournament helps the players fine-tune their red-ball skills and also get a taste of competitive cricket, as the English domestic season is known as the toughest red-ball event in the sport.
The board doesn’t allow Indian players to compete in other overseas leagues due to workload management and also to ensure the commercial value and exclusivity of the India Premier League (IPL) is maintained. The Indian players will have to announce their retirement from international cricket, IPL, and Indian domestic cricket to be allowed to compete in overseas T20 leagues.
Who Are 3 Indians in County Championship 2025
1. Tilak Varma (Hampshire)
Tilak Varma has signed up for Hampshire for the ongoing edition of the County Championship. The young Indian batter will represent the club in four matches between June 22 and August 1. Hampshire are drawn in Division A of the County Championship and have 82 points from seven matches so far this season.
Tilak will play his first County Championship match against Essex between June 22 and 25, before taking on Worcestershire from June 29 to July 2. He will be up against Nottinghamshire (July 22 – 25) and Worcestershire (July 29 – August 1) in his last two matches this season with Hampshire. The 22-year-old batter has scored 1204 runs in 18 matches in first-class cricket at an average of 50.16. The Indian player has scored five centuries and four half-centuries thus far for his state team, Hyderabad.
2. Ruturaj Gaikwad (Yorkshire)
Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to play five County Championship matches for Yorkshire from July end onwards. His first assignment with the club will be against Surrey from July 22 to 25. Ruturaj will play four more matches with Yorkshire until the end of the season, which includes fixtures against Sussex (July 29 – August 1), Somerset (September 8-11), Sussex (September 15-18), and Durham (September 24-27).
YCCC is delighted to announce the overseas signing of Ruturaj Gaikwad 🤩
He will join up with the Yorkshire squad ahead of the @CountyChamp game vs Surrey at Scarborough & will stay with the White Rose until the end of the season
Read more➡️ https://t.co/SMg3JmRuux pic.twitter.com/1AGeSgG4tQ
— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) June 10, 2025
In first-class cricket, he has amassed 2632 runs from 65 innings with a highest score of 195. The 28-year-old batter has seven centuries and 14 half-centuries to his name, having played for Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy. The Asian Games gold medalist will also represent Yorkshire in the ongoing season of the England One-Day Cup.
3. Yuzvendra Chahal (Northamptonshire)
Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has returned to Northamptonshire for his second stint with the club following a successful outing last year. He will join the Division 2 club ahead of their fixture against Middlesex, starting June 22. Chahal will also be available for selection for the club’s remaining County Championship 2025 matches against Kent (June 29 – July 2), Middlesex (July 22-25), Derbyshire (July 29 – August 1), Glamorgan (September 8-11), Gloucestershire (September 15-18), and Leicestershire (September 24-27).
The 34-year-old player has picked up 115 wickets in 41 first-class matches across his state team, Haryana, in the Ranji Trophy and Northamptonshire in the County Championship 2025. He has an economy of 3.15, with best bowling figures of 6/44. The Indian leg spinner has 5 four-wicket hauls and 4 five-wicket hauls in FC matches. Yuzvendra Chahal will play for Northamptonshire in the ongoing edition of the Metro Bank One Day Cup in England.
🇮🇳 Welcome to Trent Bridge, Ishan Kishan!
The Indian wicketkeeper-batter joins on a two-match Rothesay County Championship deal.
Full story 👉 https://t.co/ham6NseWty #WelcomeIshan pic.twitter.com/keM4meopfc
— Notts Outlaws (@TrentBridge) June 20, 2025
New Update：Ishan Kishan (Northamptonshire)
Meanwhile, wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan has signed a short-term deal with Northamptonshire, replacing Zimbabwe’s Kyle Verreynne, who is away for national duty. The Indian player will play two County Championship matches for the club. Earlier, Shardul Thakur was roped in by Essex to play seven County Championship matches during the first half of the tournament. However, the Indian pacer missed the tournament as he was signed by Lucknow Super Giants as a replacement player for the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League.
Final Words
The Indians in County Championship 2025 will benefit in multiple ways. The players will get the experience of playing on a tough wicket and will also get exposure to playing in overseas conditions. They will also be able to develop their skills in red-ball cricket requires a certain skill level and patience.
The Indians in County Championship 2025 will treat the tournament as an overseas experience and a preparation for the upcoming red-ball domestic season, scheduled to take place in India later this year. It will also boost their chances of getting selected to represent the nation if they perform well in both Indian and overseas conditions consistently.
