Indian allrounder Venkatesh Iyer has signed a five-week contract with Lancashire County Cricket Club, following his standout performances for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during their IPL 2024 title-winning campaign. Iyer is set to participate in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup and the final two rounds of the Vitality County Championship in late August.
Lancashire County Cricket Club announced Venkatesh’s signing in a statement on Friday. The dynamic allrounder from Madhya Pradesh expressed his eagerness to seize this opportunity as he aims to make a strong comeback to the Indian national team.
“I am incredibly excited about heading over to England and having the opportunity to play county cricket for the first time in my career. Lancashire is a historic county with a long tradition of welcoming Indian players. I am looking forward to emulating the likes of Farokh Engineer, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, and most recently, Washington Sundar in wearing the Red Rose colours at Emirates Old Trafford,” Venkatesh Iyer stated.
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He added, “Testing my skills in both one-day and first-class cricket in English conditions will significantly benefit my game. I hope to entertain the fans and help my Lancashire teammates achieve their goals in both formats this summer.”
Venkatesh Iyer will be available for Lancashire’s ongoing One-Day Cup campaign and two rounds of the County Championship.
Read the complete roster of Indian players in the County Championship and One Day Cup: https://t.co/t51Rf69cWo pic.twitter.com/zboLa1kjzy
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Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s Director of Cricket Performance, expressed his enthusiasm for the new signing. “Venkatesh will add experience to a young side during the One-Day Cup, while providing an explosive batting option in the middle-order and another seam bowler we can rely on,” Chilton said. He confirmed that Venkatesh would feature in the County games against Surrey and Hampshire.
Media reports indicate that Venkatesh has not committed to an extended contract, as he is keen to return to India in time for the Duleep Trophy, scheduled to start on September 5. His participation in this domestic tournament is part of his strategy to re-enter the Indian national team setup.
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The four squads for the Duleep Trophy, to be selected by the national selectors, are expected to be finalized after the conclusion of India’s tour to Zimbabwe. Venkatesh’s performances for Lancashire will undoubtedly be closely watched by the selectors as they assemble the teams for this prestigious domestic competition.
