NEW DELHI: India Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara will not be returning to Sussex for the County Championship next year after the English club side decided to relieve him in order to retain Australian Daniel Hughes.
Next season, left-handed Hughes will be available for every Championship and T20 Vitality Blast game. Jayden Sales, a right-arm fast bowler from the West Indies, will compete in the first block of Championship matches, the club also confirmed.
In 2024 Pujara returned to Sussex for the third time in a row. Prior to Hughes's arrival, he participated in the first seven Championship matches, as per PTI.
Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace said in a statement on its official website, "Taking over from Cheteshwar is not an easy task, but Dan has fitted in brilliantly and we are all delighted he will be back for the whole of next season."
During this year's Blast, Hughes was the top run scorer in the group stages with 560 runs at an average of 43.07, which included five fifty-scores and a career-high 96 not out.
On September 4, the Australian helped Sussex beat Lancashire Lightning at home to advance to the quarterfinals.
Additionally, he will play in Sussex's last five Championship games of the current campaign.
"Dan has been top class for us on and off the field. He has brought a wealth of experience to the dressing room and has seriously helped some of our young batters with the development of their games," Farbrace said.
The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.
Read Less