Navdeep Saini joins English county Kent for 2022 season, emulates Rahul Dravid's unique feat

Navdeep Saini has become the latest Indian cricketer to sign up for an English County for the ongoing season. Saini has signed up for Kent for the remaining 2022 season. He will feature for them in both the County Championship and the Royal London Cup. Saini is the fifth Indian to play for an English county this year.

TN Sports Desk

Updated Jul 15, 2022, 17:15 IST

Navdeep Saini has signed up for English County Kent for the remaining 2022 season

Photo : IANS

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Navdeep Saini has signed up for Kent
He is the fifth Indian to sign for an English County this season
Saini joins Rahul Dravid and has become the second Indian to play for Kent

Adding to the growing list of Indian players to sign for an English County side during the 2022 season, Indian fast bowler Navdeep Saini has become the latest to join the list. On Friday (July 15), English domestic side Kent confirmed Saini's signing for the remaining 2022 season.

The club announced that Saini will feature for them in three County Championship (first-class) and five Royal London Cup (List A) matches over the next few months. Saini will become only the second Indian player after Rahul Dravid to play for Kent. Dravid had played for the county side in the 2000 season.

The Indian pacer has been given 96 as his shirt number. He has already started to practice with the team but will have to wait for visa and regulatory approval before making his debut for Kent.

“It’s a great opportunity to play county cricket and I’m looking forward to giving my all for Kent," said Saini after his latest move was made official on the club's website. “In a year when it’s been difficult to take wickets, we’re excited to have the opportunity to add a fast bowler of Navdeep’s quality to our squad," added Kent director of cricket Paul Downton.

Saini is the fifth Indian to sign for an English County this season. He has joined Cheteshwar Pujara (Sussex), Umesh Yadav (Middlesex), Krunal Pandya (Warwickshire), and Washington Sundar (Lancashire) on the list. Both Sundar and Krunal, who are spin-bowling all-rounders, will feature only in the 50-over tournament named as the Royal London Cup.

Pujara has been part of Sussex since the season began in April. His impressive run of form in the County Championship helped him earn a recall to the Indian Test team for the one-off Test match against England at Edgbaston which took place earlier this month. Saini was a net bowler with the Indian squad for the Edgbaston Test and played for Leicestershire in India's warm-up match against them.

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