Indian spinner Rahul Chahar returns to Surrey for County Championship stint
London, March 26
Indian leg spinner Rahul Chahar will return to Surrey for the last eight County Championship matches this summer.
On signing, Rahul Chahar said, "I'm so excited to be coming back to Surrey this season. I really enjoyed my short spell in 2025 and jumped at the opportunity to come back this season when I spoke to Alec Stewart."
"Surrey is a successful Club, and I want to help the team achieve its goals in 2026," he added.
Chahar, who starred for Surrey in last September's stunning victory at Hampshire with 10 wickets on debut, will be available for the final eight matches starting with the clash with Hampshire at the Kia Oval starting on June 7, as per the Surrey cricket website.
In his sole appearance for the Club last year, Chahar impressed with his resilient and innovative bowling, which saw him take eight second-innings wickets as Surrey squeezed to an impressive win.
His 8/51 is the best first-class bowling figures by a debutant for the Club, breaking William Mudie's 166-year-old record when he took 7/61 in 1859.
The 26-year-old leg spinner plays for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy and has represented India seven times in white-ball cricket. He's taken 101 first-class wickets in 27 matches.
His IPL journey started at Rising Pune Supergiants, but it was at the Mumbai Indians where his career took off. Chahar was a key part of the MI team that won the 2019 and 2020 IPL tournaments. He was bought by the Punjab Kings in 2022 and moved to the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2023. He'll be with Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 starting from March 28.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Breaking a 166-year-old record on debut! That's no small feat. Shows his quality. Hope he gets a longer run in the Indian team soon. We need a good wrist-spin option.
Good move for him personally, but I'm a bit worried. He's playing for CSK in the IPL, then straight to Surrey. That's a lot of cricket without a break. The BCCI needs to manage player workload better, otherwise we'll see more injuries.
As a Surrey fan living in London, I'm thrilled! He was magical to watch last September. That spell at Hampshire was pure class. Welcome back, Rahul!
His career has been a bit stop-start since leaving MI. Hope this county stint gives him the confidence and rhythm to become a regular match-winner again. All the best, champ!
More Indian players should take up these opportunities. It's not just about the game, it's about experiencing different cultures and pressures. Makes you a complete cricketer. Well done, Rahul!
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