PALLEKELE: Premier India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is set for his maiden county stint later this month, with an eye on the tour of England in 2018.
MSK Prasad, chairman of selectors, today confirmed that Ashwin has been cleared by the BCCI to play for Worcestershire after not being included in the side for the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka.
Batsman Cheteshwar Pujara too will return to the county circuit with Nottinghamshire as he is free from national duty after the completion of the Test series here today.
"Cheteshwar Pujara and R Ashwin will be playing county cricket. Ashwin is part of other formats too, so it is a blessing in disguise for both of them because we will have a full fledged tour of five Tests in England next year," said Prasad here.
"So it is always good to play and get that first hand feel of the conditions. We knew they have been contacting our players but from a selection point of view they have been rested first, and then they have been given consent by the BCCI to go and play county cricket," he added.
It has also been reported that fast bowler Ishant Sharma, who did not get a game in the Test series against Sri Lanka, has been signed by Warwickshire.
Pujara and Ashwin could face each other on September 5 when division two side Worcestershire take on table leaders Nottinghamshire.