Surrey Release Offspinner Virdi After Key 2018 Title Role Overlooked in Recent Years
Offspinner Amar Virdi has been released by Surrey, having been sidelined throughout their run of three consecutive County Championship titles. The 26-year-old was once considered a future Test prospect but has struggled to secure a regular starting spot in recent seasons.
Virdi played a pivotal role in Surrey’s Championship-winning campaign in 2018, claiming 39 wickets that year. He had previously featured for the England U19 side in 2016 and 2017, and was part of England’s training bubble during the 2020 Covid-19 season, even touring the subcontinent as a reserve in early 2021.
“Having been a part of the club since I was 11 years old, I will look back on my time at Surrey with great fondness and I have some incredible memories of playing for the club,” Virdi said. “Winning the 2018 County Championship was a personal highlight and it was incredible to be part of the team that brought success back to the club after many years.”
Notably, Virdi made his first-class debut in May 2017, becoming part of the first quartet of teenagers to play for a county since World War 2, alongside the likes of Sam Curran, Ryan Patel and Ollie Pope. However, unlike his contemporaries who have cemented their places in Surrey’s XI, Virdi’s opportunities have dwindled, with the club often preferring batting all-rounders like Will Jacks or Dan Lawrence to shoulder the spin bowling responsibilities.
The latter part of the 2024 season saw Virdi on loan at Worcestershire, where he impressed with 14 wickets in four matches, including a five-wicket haul against Hampshire in September. But a permanent move away from Surrey is considered unlikely at this stage.
Alec Stewart, Surrey’s Director of Cricket, acknowledged the tough decision to release Virdi, stating:
“It’s always tough letting a player go from the club and especially when that player has been in our set up from a young age. With the balance of our bowling attack we’ve used in the Championship in recent years which has brought us great success, Virds hasn’t been able to find a way into the starting eleven.”
Stewart expressed confidence that Virdi’s bowling has much to offer another county, and pledged to assist the offspinner in finding a new home where he can showcase his talents and further his career.
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