India’s left-arm fast bowler Khaleel Ahmed has joined Essex County Cricket Club and will represent them across formats until the end of the 2025 season. The 27-year-old will be available for both the Rothesay County Championship and the Metro Bank One Day Cup, providing Essex with a valuable left-arm seam option.
A graduate of India’s Under-19 setup, Ahmed has represented the Indian senior team in 29 international matches—11 ODIs and 18 T20Is—since making his debut in 2018. He has claimed 15 wickets in ODIs at an average of 31.00, including best figures of 3 for 13.
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Domestically, Ahmed has been a consistent performer for Rajasthan across formats. In List A cricket, he has taken 92 wickets in 63 matches at an average of 27.92, while in red-ball cricket he has 56 wickets from 20 first-class games at 27.67, including a five-wicket haul with best figures of 5 for 37.
Most recently, Ahmed impressed for India A against the England Lions in June at Northampton, picking up four key wickets—James Rew, George Hill, Chris Woakes, and Jordan Cox—in the first innings of the tour match. His performance caught the attention of the Essex management, who believe his skills will add depth and variety to their seam attack.
Commenting on his move, Ahmed said, “I am thrilled to sign for Essex. I have heard a lot about the rich history of the Club, and I’m excited to be part of it and will look to make an immediate impact. I’m looking forward to playing at Chelmsford, meeting the loyal Essex Members and fans, and delivering performances they can be proud of.”
Essex’s Director of Cricket Chris Silverwood welcomed the signing, stating, “We are really pleased to be bringing Khaleel into the Club. We were impressed with his performances for India A and firmly believe he can strengthen our already very strong seam attack. As a left-arm seamer, he offers something different and will add a new dynamic to the squad in both the One Day Cup and the County Championship.”
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