Indian cricket player Cheteshwar Pujara will not play for Sussex in the County Championship next year because the English team has decided to keep Australian player Daniel Hughes instead.
The left-handed Hughes will be able to play in all Championship and T20 Vitality Blast matches next season. The club also said that West Indies fast bowler Jayden Sales will play in the first part of the Championship games.
Pujara played for Sussex for the third time in a row in 2024. He was part of the first seven Championship matches before Hughes joined the team.
“Replacing Cheteshwar is a challenging job, but Dan has done an excellent job fitting in, and we’re all thrilled he’ll be with us for the entire next season,” said Sussex’s head coach, Paul Farbrace, on their official website.
Dan Hughes was the top scorer in the group stages of this year’s Blast, with 560 runs at an average of 43.07, including five scores of 50 or more and a highest score of 96 not out.
He played a key role in helping Sussex reach a quarter-final against Lancashire Lightning, which will be held at home on September 4.
Dan will also be part of Sussex’s last five Championship games this season.
“Dan has been outstanding for us both on and off the field. He’s brought a lot of experience to our team and has greatly assisted some of our younger batters in improving their skills,” Farbrace added.
