Mukesh Kumar joins Nottinghamshire for the County Championship title run-in

Nottinghamshire have signed India seamer Mukesh Kumar for the final two rounds of the County Championship, with the Division One title four points away

Nottinghamshire have added India seamer Mukesh Kumar for the last two fixtures of their 2026 County Championship season, giving them an experienced new-ball bowler for the fortnight that will decide the Division One title.

The 32-year-old is available for the trip to Sussex at Hove, which begins on Tuesday, and for the home match against Yorkshire at Trent Bridge from 24 September. It is the first time in his career that he has played for a domestic side outside India.

Nottinghamshire sit second in Division One on 185 points from 12 matches, four behind Somerset and one ahead of Warwickshire, with only those two rounds left to play.

A table that will not wait

Somerset lead on 189 points, Nottinghamshire have 185 and Warwickshire 184, so a single batting or bowling point could separate the three when the season closes.

Nottinghamshire have lost one Championship match all season and drawn six, the best defensive record of the three contenders and also the reason they are not leading.

Sussex, their opponents this week, are fourth on 154 with five wins from 12 and are out of the title race themselves.

Yorkshire, who visit Trent Bridge in the final round, are fifth on 142 and have won four and lost four.

Moores points to match sharpness

Head coach Peter Moores said the timing of the deal was its appeal. "We're really excited to get Mukesh over at what is a crucial time of the season," he said.

Moores added that Kumar arrives having just come through a first-class final rather than a lay-off. "It's fantastic for us to get a player who's match-ready and in full competitive mode ahead of two big games for the club," he said.

"Mukesh's quality as a bowler is not in question, knowing how hard it is to compete to play in the Indian team," Moores said.

Kumar said he was "really pleased to sign for Nottinghamshire at an important time in the season", adding: "I want to contribute as much as I can while I am here to help Nottinghamshire to success."

Straight from a Duleep Trophy final

Kumar took 3 for 62 in South Zone's first innings of the Duleep Trophy final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, which finished on 10 September.

The match produced no outright result and East Zone took the title on first-innings lead, having made 708 before bowling South Zone out for 336.

East Zone were captained by Ishan Kishan, who made 270 in that innings and who was Nottinghamshire's overseas signing in 2025. Kishan and Kumar both come from Bihar.

Kishan was named player of the match for 350 runs across the two innings, and Kumar's signing makes it two India internationals recruited by Nottinghamshire in successive seasons.

A first-class record built entirely in India

Kumar has 233 first-class wickets at an average of 21.79, with ten five-wicket hauls, every one of them taken in Indian conditions.

His best match figures are 10 for 50, against Bihar in the Ranji Trophy in February 2024.

He has played 26 matches for India across the three formats, including three Tests, and has taken 32 international wickets. In his second Test, in Cape Town in January 2024, he returned first-innings figures of 2 for 0 as South Africa were bowled out for 55.

Bengal, Delhi and now Trent Bridge

Kumar plays his domestic cricket for Bengal and has spent the past four IPL seasons with Delhi Capitals.

His most recent Test appearance for India came against England in 2024.

Nottinghamshire's penultimate fixture of the season starts at Hove on Tuesday, with the Championship closing at Trent Bridge against Yorkshire from 24 September.

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