Indian youngsters are making the most of the off-season. Instead of resting or just training, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan are going to play County cricket in England. That shows they are serious about their red-ball game.
Ruturaj has joined Yorkshire. He will play 5 County Championship matches and also the One-Day Cup.
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Tilak has signed with Hampshire for the ongoing County Championship season.
Ishan Kishan will play 2 matches for Nottinghamshire, replacing Kyle Verreynne who is with the South African national team.
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Ishan will be available for 2 games — against Yorkshire on June 22 and against Somerset on June 29.
Tilak is likely to play in Hampshire’s next game against Essex from June 22 to 25.
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Ruturaj will start his stint in July, with the first game against Surrey.
These are Division One County Championship matches, so they are high level matches with serious competition.
Ishan has already scored over 3400 runs in First-Class cricket, including 8 hundreds.
Tilak has played 18 First-Class matches and scored over 1200 runs, with 5 centuries.
Ruturaj is known for his solid technique and calm batting style which will suit English conditions well.
Playing in England will help them improve against swing and seam — something Indian conditions don’t test as much.
This shows a change in mindset. Indian youngsters are now looking to grow even when there are no national games.
Instead of waiting around, they are choosing to face different challenges. County cricket gives them real match practice, with longer innings and tougher pitches. It helps them prepare better for Test cricket and overall game.
It’s great to see players like Ruturaj, Tilak and Ishan taking these opportunities. They are not just focusing on white-ball formats or the IPL. They are thinking long-term and building skills that matter in all formats.
Even if they don’t score big runs, the experience itself will be very useful. County cricket has helped many players grow in the past and can do the same for them.
This is the kind of move that will keep Indian cricket strong for the future.
