Warrier has played 57 first-class games for Kerala.
India A and Kolkata Knight Riders pace spearhead Sandeep Warrier is all set to play for Tamil Nadu in the upcoming domestic season, as the pacer has decided to shift base from Kerala to the south Indian state.
The 29-year-old bowler made his First-Class debut for Kerala in 2012-13 season and since then he has played 57 first-class matches (186 wickets) and 55 List-A matches (66 wickets) for his state team.
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He was also the leading wicket-taker for Kerala in the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy with 12 wickets in six matches, as well as in the group stage of the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy with 44 dismissals in 10 matches. The right-arm pacer has also 46 scalps to his name in the 47 T20s.
Well, Sandeep, who hails from Thrissur, has now made up his mind to move over to Tamil Nadu from Kerala since he is now employed with India Cements in Chennai, where the pacer has been also training at the MRF Pace Foundation as well. The cricketer’s wife Aarathi is also from Chennai.
Keeping all that in mind, the bowler recently requested the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) to approve his move which is “purely due to personal reason” and now the KCA Secretary Sreejith V Nair has confirmed that the state body will grant him permission to play for Tamil Nadu in the upcoming season.
Warrier told Times of India: “I loved playing for Kerala. But there comes a time when you have to make tough choices in life. And I feel that time has now come for me. Since I started training at the MRF pace foundation almost eight years ago, my cricketing set-up has revolved around Chennai apart from the times I played for Kerala in the domestic circuit.”
He further added, “Last year I got a job in Chennai and got married to a girl from Chennai too. So, I think my future is going to be based out of this city. So, my move to Tamil Nadu is purely due to personal reasons.”
Noteworthy, it will be a big blow for Kerala since Sandeep has been their frontline pacer, but Tamil Nadu will feel bolstered as they have been weak ever since the retirement of L Balaji.
(With TOI inputs)