Ravichandran Ashwin is all set for his first county stint in England. The Indian off-spinner will playing for Worcestershire from the end of this month, reported ESPNCricinfo on Monday. Two other players from the current Test squad – top ranked bowler and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, and Cheteshwar Pujara will also be heading for the county after the ongoing Test series. None of them feature in the current limited-overs squad for the next leg of the series in Sri Lanka.

However, Jadeja’s team is unconfirmed, but he is said to be in talks with several teams, continued the report. Ashwin could start his stint as early as August 28, when Worcestershire play Gloucestershire.

Pujara, on the other hand, will continue playing for Nottinghamshire. The batsman had done well in his county stint last season, scoring 223 runs in five innings, including a match-winning hundred against Gloucestershire.

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Earlier, it was reported that Ishant Sharma would also be joining county side Warwickshire, but the pacer denied the reports.

The county stint will be good preparation of the conditions in England for India’s Test team regulars as India have a five Test series coming up next year. The last time India toured England for a Test tour, they were in the receiving end of a series loss. The current team, led by Virat Kohli, is ranked No 1 in the world but has largely played at home.

‘Blessing in disguise’

India’s chief selector MSK Prasad said on Monday that the county contracts came as a bit of a surprise to the team think-tank and the plan was to rest Ashwin and Jadeja. He however added that this could be a blessing in disguise for India.

  “To tell you the truth, it was resting first and then only [them playing county cricket]. Of course whatever little we know that they have been contacting our players but from a selection point of view we never knew they have been contacting and the moment these people are rested with the board consent they have given confirmation to the counties.”  

“We can say it is a blessing in disguise if test players like Pujara and Ashwin [play in England]. Ashwin is a part of other formats too, but it is a blessing in disguise for both of them because we will have a full fledged tour in June of five Tests in England next year. So its always good to play and get that first hand feel of the conditions which is going to happen in the summer after that.”