NEW DELHI: India Test specialist
Cheteshwar Pujara
will not be returning to
Sussex
for the
County Championship
next year after the English club side decided to relieve him in order to retain Australian
Daniel Hughes
.
Next season, left-handed Hughes will be available for every Championship and
T20 Vitality Blast
game.
Jayden Sales
, a right-arm fast bowler from the West Indies, will compete in the first block of Championship matches, the club also confirmed.
In 2024
Pujara
returned to Sussex for the third time in a row. Prior to Hughes's arrival, he participated in the first seven Championship matches, as per PTI.
Sussex head coach
Paul Farbrace
said in a statement on its official website, "Taking over from Cheteshwar is not an easy task, but Dan has fitted in brilliantly and we are all delighted he will be back for the whole of next season."
During this year's Blast, Hughes was the top run scorer in the group stages with 560 runs at an average of 43.07, which included five fifty-scores and a career-high 96 not out.
On September 4, the Australian helped Sussex beat Lancashire Lightning at home to advance to the quarterfinals.
Additionally, he will play in Sussex's last five Championship games of the current campaign.
"Dan has been top class for us on and off the field. He has brought a wealth of experience to the dressing room and has seriously helped some of our young batters with the development of their games," Farbrace said.
English (US) ·