Nottinghamshire have signed India seam bowler Mukesh Kumar for the final two County Championship Division One matches of the 2026 season. The 32-year-old joins the club as they sit second in the table, four points behind leaders Somerset with two rounds of fixtures remaining.
Kumar arrives with 233 first-class wickets to his name, all of them taken in India before this assignment. He has also represented India in 26 international appearances, including three Tests and 17 T20 internationals, with his most recent Test coming against England in 2024. Head coach Peter Moores described Kumar as a ‘quality addition at such a crucial point of the season’.
Just days before joining Nottinghamshire, Kumar returned figures of 3-62 to help East Zone defeat South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final, a victory that gave East Zone the title for the first time in 14 years. That sharp display in a high-stakes final underlines why Nottinghamshire moved quickly to secure his services ahead of their own title run-in.
What form does Mukesh Kumar bring into this assignment?
Kumar arrives at Trent Bridge in strong recent form, having featured in a competitive domestic final only days before his county debut. His Duleep Trophy figures of 3-62 in the final against South Zone confirmed he is match-ready and operating at a high level of intensity heading into English conditions.
With all 233 of his first-class wickets gathered on the subcontinent, the two remaining Division One matches will mark his first experience of English county conditions in competitive cricket. Nottinghamshire will be counting on him to adapt quickly, given the limited time available before the season concludes.
“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,” Moores said, as quoted by BBC.
What does Nottinghamshire need from their final two matches?
Nottinghamshire currently occupy second place in Division One, trailing Somerset by four points. With only two Championship matches left in the 2026 season, the margin for error is minimal and every bowling point will carry added weight in the title race. A maximum-points haul from both remaining fixtures, combined with a Somerset slip, represents the most direct route to the title.
Kumar’s international experience and his sharp form in the Duleep Trophy make him a direct reinforcement to the Nottinghamshire seam attack at precisely the right moment. The club has not disclosed the specific fixtures in which he will feature, but his availability covers both remaining games, giving the coaching staff full flexibility in how they deploy him across the run-in.
