Left-arm spinner Axar Patel has become the latest Indian player to be signed up by an English County side ahead of the 2018 Specsavers County Championship. The 24-year-old will represent the Division 2 side Durham in six matches, that will see him make his debut against Glamorgan on August 19 and then will play against Northamptonshire, Sussex, Middlesex, Leicester and Warwickshire.

After making his first-class debut in 2012, Patel claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in his very second match for Gujarat against Delhi. In 23 first-class matches thus far, Axar has scalped 79 wickets, including 14 in two matches for India ‘A’ against South Africa ‘A’ in 2015. Moreover, he has one first-class hundred and ten half-centuries to his name.

As far as Axar Patel’s international credentials are concerned – he has represented India in 38 ODIs and 11 T20Is, scalping 45 and 9 wickets respectively. He is a significant member of the Kings XI Punjab franchise in the Indian Premier League.

Besides Axar, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli will turn up in this year's county championship for Leicestershire, Sussex, Yorkshire and Surrey respectively.

India are scheduled to tour England from July 3 where they will play three T20Is and as many ODIs before featuring in a five-match Test series.