County Championship: India quick Khaleel Ahmed ends stint with Essex due to personal reasons | Cricket News
Indian fast bowler Khaleel Ahmed has ended his County Championship stint with Essex prematurely after playing just two first-class matches, citing personal reasons. The left-arm pacer had initially signed a two-month contract that would have included six first-class matches and potentially 10 List A games in the One-Day Cup.Essex Cricket released an official statement confirming Ahmed’s departure: “Essex Cricket can confirm that Khaleel Ahmed has made the decision to return home for personal reasons and will be ending his time with the Club. While we are disappointed to see him leave, we fully support Khaleel’s decision and are grateful for the contributions he made during his time with us. Everyone at Essex Cricket wishes Khaleel all the very best for the future.“Ahmed’s signing by Essex came after his impressive performance in the second unofficial Test against England Lions, where he claimed figures of 4/70.This development follows another recent withdrawal from county cricket, as Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad also cancelled his overseas deal with Yorkshire earlier this month due to personal reasons.Ahmed’s international career with India includes 11 ODI appearances, during which he claimed 15 wickets at an average of 31.00 and an economy rate of 5.81. His best ODI bowling figures stand at 3/13, with his last appearance for India dating back to 2019.In domestic cricket, the 27-year-old has established himself as a reliable performer for Rajasthan. Having played 20 first-class matches, he has accumulated 56 wickets at an average of 27.67, with his best figures being 5/37.Ahmed, who was part of India’s Under-19 squad for the 2016 World Cup, is expected to be in contention for selection in the upcoming inter-zonal Duleep Trophy. This tournament will mark the beginning of India’s domestic red-ball season on August 28.
