Venkatesh Iyer Joins Lancashire for County Cricket Stint

Venkatesh Iyer, the star all-rounder from the Kolkata Knight Riders' triumphant Indian Premier League 2024 campaign, has joined Lancashire County Cricket Club for the next five weeks. He will feature in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup and the following two rounds of Vitality County Championship matches in late August.

Iyer, who is attempting to make a comeback to the Indian national team, expressed his excitement about following in the footsteps of Indian greats like Farokh Engineer, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, and Washington Sundar, who have represented Lancashire in the past. He believes that testing his skills in both one-day and first-class cricket in English conditions will benefit his game immensely.

Lancashire's Director of Cricket Performance, Mark Chilton, confirmed that Iyer will play in the County games against Surrey and Hampshire. He praised Iyer's experience and versatility, noting that he will add depth to the young side during the One-Day Cup and provide an explosive batting option in the middle-order.

However, it is understood that Iyer has not signed an extended contract with Lancashire. He is eager to return to India in time for the Duleep Trophy, scheduled to start on September 5, in his quest to be recalled into India's set-up. The four squads for the Duleep Trophy will be selected by the national selectors after the conclusion of India's tour to Zimbabwe.

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