India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has replaced Travis Head in the Sussex team for the County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup competition, club said in a statement on Thursday.
Following a request by Travis to be released from his contract due to increased international commitments along with the news that he and his partner are expecting their first child, the club have agreed to this and replaced him with Cheteshwar Pujara for the majority of the 2022 season.
“We are delighted to welcome such an experienced international top order batter to the squad and look forward to his contribution both with the bat and in helping our younger top order batters continue their development in first class cricket. We are sorry Travis will not be joining us and wish him all the best with his international commitments and congratulate him and his partner Jessica on their news,” club said in a statement. Pujara will arrive in time for the first Championship match of the season and remain until at least the end of the RL50 competition.
Not to forget, Pakistan’s wicketkeeper and batter Mohammad Rizwan had also signed to play for Sussex last year. So we may have Pakistan’s Rizwan and India’s Pujara playing for one team in the county season.
In first-class cricket, Mohammad averages over 43 with the bat, including nearly 1,000 runs in 19 Test matches at an average of over 42.
He will join Sussex at the end of the Australia tour and will remain till the T20 tournament.
