The County Championship has been going strong for over 130 years in England. It’s tough cricket and many Indian stars have tried their luck there. Why did they go? Simple – they wanted to learn new tricks and see how they’d do on different pitches.
Playing county cricket isn’t a walk in the park for Indian players. The weather can be horrible – cold, wet, and miserable. The ball does things it would never do back home. Yet some of our best cricketers have made their mark there.
Some guys like Murali Kartik moved around playing for four different teams. Farokh Engineer was the king, though – he played 164 matches for Lancashire. All these experiences made them better cricketers when they came back to play for India.
Top 10 Indian County Championship Players
Here are the Indians who really made people sit up and take notice in county cricket. We’ve ranked them based on how many matches they played and how well they did overall.
| Rank | Player | County Teams | Matches | Years | Best Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farokh Engineer | Lancashire | 164 | 1968-1976 | 26.05 batting average |
| 2 | Bishan Bedi | Northamptonshire | 102 | 1972-1977 | 394 wickets at 21.16 |
| 3 | Murali Kartik | Middlesex, Lancashire, Somerset, Surrey | 60 | 2005-2012 | 220 wickets at 24.72 |
| 4 | Ravi Shastri | Glamorgan | 60 | 1987-1991 | All-rounder |
| 5 | Kapil Dev | Northamptonshire, Worcestershire | 40 | 1981-1985 | 103 wickets, 729 runs |
| 6 | Sourav Ganguly | Glamorgan, Lancashire, Northamptonshire | 21 | 2000-2006 | 1135 runs at 35.5 |
| 7 | Rahul Dravid | Kent | 16 | 2000 | 1039 runs at 49.48 |
| 8 | Sachin Tendulkar | Yorkshire | 16 | 1992 | 1070 runs at 46.52 |
| 9 | Harbhajan Singh | Essex, Lancashire, Surrey | 15 | 2005-2012 | 70 wickets at 23.34 |
| 10 | Sunil Gavaskar | Somerset | 15 | 1980 | 664 runs at 33.2 |
1. Farokh Engineer (Lancashire, 1968-1976)
Engineer was the pioneer. The first Indian to really make county cricket his second home. For eight long years, he kept wickets and batted for Lancashire. 164 matches – that’s a serious commitment. He scored 3655 runs averaging 26.05 with a highest of 141.
English pitches suited his style perfectly—he could turn the ball both ways and consistently hit the same spot, making life difficult for county batsmen. Like many talented Indian cricketers who have played for Durham County Cricket Club, he showed why he was one of India’s greatest spinners. His skill and accuracy made him a real headache for batsmen.
2. Bishan Bedi (Northamptonshire, 1972-1977)
Bedi was pure class with the ball. Left-arm spin that fooled batsmen for fun. 394 wickets at 21.16 – those are serious numbers. His best figures were 7 for 34, which probably left some poor batsmen wondering what hit them.
English pitches suited his style perfectly. He could turn it both ways and hit the same spot again and again. County batsmen found him a real headache. You could see why he was one of India’s greatest spinners.
3. Murali Kartik (Multiple Counties, 2005-2012)
Kartik was the nomad of county cricket. Four different teams – Middlesex, Lancashire, Somerset and Surrey. That tells you something about his talent. Teams kept wanting him back. He picked up 220 wickets at 24.72 with best figures of 6 for 21.
Another left-arm spinner but with his own bag of tricks. Could bowl different deliveries and wasn’t hopeless with the bat either. Scored 544 runs which is handy for a bowler. All that county experience made him a much better player for India.
4. Ravi Shastri (Glamorgan, 1987-1991)
Shastri was the complete package. 60 matches for Glamorgan, where he did a bit of everything. Spun the ball, bowled medium pace, and was safe as houses in the field.
County cricket made him think about the game differently. You can see that when he became India’s coach later on. He understood conditions and used all that knowledge to help the team. Smart cricketer who got even smarter playing county cricket.
5. Kapil Dev (Northamptonshire & Worcestershire, 1981-1985)
Our World Cup hero played for two counties. 103 wickets and 729 runs – not bad for someone juggling international cricket too. Batting average of 26.49 and bowling average of 24.81 show he was useful with both bat and ball.
Kapil learned a lot about swing bowling in England. The ball moves around there like nowhere else. That experience made him an even better all-rounder. He could adapt his game to any conditions after his county stint.
6. Sourav Ganguly (Multiple Counties, 2000-2006)
Dada played for three different counties over six years. 1135 runs at 35.5 with a highest of 142. That elegant left-handed style worked well on English pitches. He could also roll his arm over with some medium pace when needed.
County cricket taught him about leadership in tough situations. When he became India’s captain you could see that county experience coming through. He knew how to handle pressure and get the best out of his players.
7. Rahul Dravid (Kent, 2000)
The Wall played just one season but what a season it was. 1039 runs at 49.48 – absolutely brilliant. His highest score was 137. Even the English crowds appreciated his technique and patience.
Dravid proved that Indian batsmen could handle swing bowling and seaming pitches. His county stint made him even better against moving ball. That defensive technique became even more solid after facing English bowlers day in and day out.
Also, see which England players played for Durham & made a mark in international cricket.
8. Sachin Tendulkar (Yorkshire, 1992)
The Master Blaster was just 19 when he played for Yorkshire. 1070 runs at 46.52 with one century. Even as a teenager, he showed he was something special. Cold, windy conditions in Yorkshire – not easy for any batsman.
That county experience helped him understand different conditions. Yorkshire fans still talk about his batting. You could see even then that he was going to be one of the greats. County cricket just confirmed what everyone suspected.
9. Harbhajan Singh (Multiple Counties, 2005-2012)
The Turbanator played for three counties. 70 wickets at 23.34 with best figures of 6 for 36. Off-spin that could turn sharply, and he wasn’t afraid to attack batsmen.
County cricket taught him to bowl on all kinds of pitches. Not just the turning tracks he was used to in India. That made him a more complete bowler. He could trouble batsmen anywhere in the world after his county education.
10. Sunil Gavaskar (Somerset, 1980)
The Little Master played one season for Somerset. 664 runs at 33.2 with a highest of 155 not out. That perfect technique and endless patience worked brilliantly on English pitches.
Gavaskar showed that Indian batsmen belonged at the highest level. He could handle fast bowling on bouncy pitches. His county stint proved that technique and temperament could overcome any conditions.
Next Matches To Follow:
Conclusion: Indian Players Have Done Well in the County Championship
Indian players have always done well in county cricket. From engineers in the 1960s to today’s players, they’ve all added something special to English cricket. They proved that Indian cricketers can succeed anywhere.
Players like Chahal and Gaikwad are continuing this tradition today. They’re learning the same lessons that helped previous generations. County cricket remains a great way for Indian players to test themselves and improve their game.
FAQs
English conditions are totally different from India. The weather the pitches the It’s way the ball behaves – everything is different. Playing there teaches them new skills and prepares them for international tours. When they face England or play in similar conditions they’re not shocked by what they encounter.
That would be Farokh Engineer with 164 matches for Lancashire from 1968 to 1976. Eight seasons as a wicket-keeper batsman which was pretty unusual back then. Most Indians didn’t play overseas cricket regularly in those days. Engineer was way ahead of his time.
Bishan Bedi takes that crown with 394 wickets at 21.16 for Northamptonshire. His left-arm spin was perfect for English conditions. He could turn the ball and was incredibly accurate. That county experience helped make him one of India’s greatest ever spinners.
You could see the difference when they played international cricket. They were more confident in foreign conditions and could handle different types of bowling. Many became successful captains because they understood how to adapt to various situations. The experience was invaluable.
Players like Chahal Gaikwad and others continue the tradition. They go there for the same reasons – to learn and improve their game. County cricket is still seen as excellent preparation for international cricket, especially when touring England and similar countries.
