Egremont have signed a talented young Indian all-rounder as their professional for the 2023 Cumbria Cricket League season.
Vathsal Govind, 23, has represented India at Under-19s level and currently plays first-class cricket for Kerala in the Ranji Trophy.
Although principally a top-order batsman, the Delhi-born Govind also bowls leg spin.
Vathsal started playing cricket at the age of five but with limited opportunities to train at the academies he joined in Delhi, his mother set up a cricket academy in 2011.
Four years later he gained selection to the Delhi U16 squad but a year later his family moved to Kerala where he continued his cricket career.
He was part of the India Green team for the U19 Challenger Trophy in 2018 and captained the club’s Under-19 team for the Cooch Behar Trophy in the 2018-19 season and ended up the top run-scorer with 1235 runs from eight matches.
His performance in the Cooch Behar Trophy paved the way to the Kerala squad for 2018-19 Ranji Trophy and debuted for them in first class cricket against Delhi in the same season.
In February 2019, he and Kerala team-mate Varun Nayanar, were selected to play two Youth test matches for India-Uner-19s against South Africa A.
He made his List A debut two years ago for Kerala in the 2020-21 Vijay Hazare Trophy and finished the tournament as his side’s second-highest run-scorer with 292 runs from five matches, which included a career-best 95.
In the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy he scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.
Announcing the signing Egremont said: “He had a stellar youth career which saw him as the leading run scorer in India.
“His form has carried on into his first class where he averages an impressive 50 in 50 over cricket and 39 in the Ranji Trophy.
“We would like to say a massive thank you to Rob Ashwell and Prakash Palande for getting this deal over the line and we are looking forward to welcoming Vathsal to Egremont in April.”
