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Surrey, 9 November (Hindustan Reporter). Off-spinner Amar Virdi has been released by Surrey after being overlooked during their run to three consecutive County Championship titles.
Virdi, 26, took 39 wickets in Surrey's Championship-winning season in 2018 and was considered a future Test player at the time, having played for the England Under-19 team in 2016 and 2017. He was part of England's training bubble during the 2020 COVID-19 season and toured the subcontinent as a reserve for series against Sri Lanka and India in early 2021.
On his first-class debut in May 2017, he, along with Sam Curran, Ryan Patel and Ollie Pope, made history as the first quartet of teenagers to play for the county since the Second World War, and only the fifth in history. . But unlike his contemporaries, all of whom have featured in Surrey's first XI, Virdi's opportunities have diminished in recent years, with Surrey turning to batting all-rounders such as Will Jacques or Dan Lawrence to carry their spin burden. Have given priority.
Virdi spent the latter half of the 2024 county season on loan at Worcestershire, where he took 14 wickets in four matches, including five against Hampshire in September. Before that he was on loan at Somerset in 2022, and his most recent Championship outing for Surrey came in September 2021.
Virdi said: “Having been a part of the club since the age of 11, I will look back fondly on my time at Surrey and have some incredible memories of playing for the club. Winning the 2018 County Championship was a personal achievement and being part of the team that brought success back to the club after so many years was incredible. Having had a tough time over the last few years at Surrey with selection and pitches, I still believe I have a lot to offer the game as my recent loan stint at Worcestershire has shown and I look forward to my playing career. “Looking forward to whatever the next step is.”
Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart said: “It is always difficult to let a player leave the club and especially when that player has been with us from a young age. “With the balance of our bowling attack which has brought us great success in the Championship in recent years, Wyrds has not been able to make the starting eleven.”
Stewart said: “I am confident that his bowling has a lot to offer other counties and hopefully he will find a new home where he can showcase his talents and further his career. I will do my best to help them find a good solution. “In the meantime, on behalf of everyone at Surrey CCC, I would like to thank Wyrds for the service he has given and that we will never forget the impact he made when we won the 2018 County Championship title.”
