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Ruturaj Gaikwad, a standout for India and CSK, had to cancel his County Championship contract with Yorkshire County Club for personal reasons that were not disclosed. This compelled the team, which had been searching for a possible replacement for their ace batter. Imam-ul-Haq, Pakistan's top-order batsman, appears to have finally been identified by the Yorkshire team as a substitute.
Gaikwad had committed to playing five games for the team in the 2025 County Championship final. However, earlier this week, the Indian opening batsman pulled out, citing personal reasons. If the deal goes through, Imam, who previously played in the County Championship for the Somerset Club, will now be representing a different team. He has not yet been confirmed for his time with the team, but his previous experience playing in English circumstances will make him a tremendous asset.
Ruturaj Gaikwad Replaced by Imam-ul-Haq:
Ruturaj Gaikwad Opts Out From County Season Due to Personal Reasons & Yorkshire Mangament Confirms It , Haters idhaan Saakunu Ivlo Hate Spread panranga , Sondha Fanbase layae Kolapom, We Should Respect His Decision Now , He Will Comeback Soon ,Annaiku Irukku
— Troll Cricket Tamil (@NithishBharat11) July 20, 2025
-#Nithiedits7pic.twitter.com/bDvyHIsaFR
Interestingly, Gaikwad hasn't played cricket since he had to withdraw halfway through the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) due to an elbow fracture, which forced the team to ask MS Dhoni to take the helm once more. The Pune native participated in the India A tour of England, but he was unable to play, as reports indicated that he was still recovering from the injury.
A well-known figure in English county cricket is Imam-ul-Haq. In the final four games of 2022, he played for Somerset and was instrumental in keeping them from relegation. With a gritty 90 against Gloucestershire on September 6, 2022, he made an immediate impression on his County debut.
Imam has so far scored 1,568 runs at an average of 37.33 in 24 Test matches for Pakistan. With a strike rate of 46.06, he has amassed three hundreds and nine fifties. The left-hander has made 84 appearances in first-class cricket, scoring 5,453 runs—including 15 hundreds and 25 fifties—with a top score of 202 not out.
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