Indian leg-spinner Rahul Chahar will feature for Surrey in their County Championship 2025 season finale against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl. His late inclusion provides Surrey with a vital spin option as they chase a fourth successive title.
Chahar linked up with Surrey earlier this month but did not play in the recent home matches at The Oval. With several frontline spinners unavailable through injury, he has now been added to the squad for the decisive clash.
“I’m excited to join Surrey for this week’s match. I’m coming here to have an impact and help the team in their final match of the season,” Chahar said.
Alec Stewart Welcomes the Leg-Spinner
Surrey’s advisor Alec Stewart expressed confidence in the move, highlighting the timing of Chahar’s arrival.
“Adding Rahul to the squad gives us another spin option at the Utilita Bowl…We had originally earmarked for Sai Kishore to return for the latter stages of the season but he unfortunately has a finger injury resulting in an operation that has meant he was unavailable,” Stewart explained.
Chahar, who represents Rajasthan in Indian domestic cricket, owns 87 wickets from 24 first-class appearances. His career-best figures stand at 9 for 148. On the international stage, he played seven white-ball matches for India between 2019 and 2021. He was also part of Mumbai Indians’ IPL-winning squads in 2019 and 2020.
Surrey’s Title Challenge in Final Round
Surrey’s hopes of retaining their championship crown were dented by Nottinghamshire earlier this month, leaving Alec Stewart’s side 14 points behind at the top. To defend their title, Surrey must beat Hampshire while also relying on Warwickshire to restrict Nottinghamshire’s progress at Trent Bridge.
The contest could also see an intriguing Indian battle, with Chahar potentially going head-to-head against Washington Sundar, who recently joined Hampshire for the closing stages of the season.
Initially, Surrey had lined up R. Sai Kishore for a return, but his finger surgery made him unavailable. Injuries to Will Jacks and Cam Steel further deepened the spin crisis, making Chahar’s selection a timely solution.
The last round of the championship begins on September 24. Surrey’s dream of a fourth consecutive title could depend on how quickly Rahul Chahar adjusts to English conditions.
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