Indian leg-spinner Rahul Chahar is on his way back to Surrey, pencilled in for the last eight rounds of this summer’s County Championship. The 26-year-old’s previous visit was brief but memorable: a match haul of 10 for 118 – including 8 for 51 in the fourth innings – dragged Surrey past Hampshire by 20 runs in September and helped secure second place.
“I’m so excited to be coming back to Surrey this season,” Chahar said. “I really enjoyed my short spell in 2025 and jumped at the opportunity to come back this season when I spoke to Alec Stewart. Surrey is a successful club and I want to help the team achieve its goals in 2026.”
The deal, confirmed on Thursday morning, starts on 7 June when Surrey meet Hampshire at The Oval. Chahar will first complete his Indian Premier League commitments with Chennai Super Kings before heading to south London.
Director of cricket Alec Stewart welcomed the move. “Rahul came in last year and did an excellent job at Hampshire, showing his qualities. We’re looking forward to welcoming [him] back to the group and seeing how he can contribute to winning games of cricket for Surrey.”
Head coach Gareth Batty, speaking to local radio, added a practical note: “A quality leggie gives us something different on pitches that can flatten out in mid-season. He knows the dressing-room and, importantly, the slopes at The Oval.”
Surrey’s early-season overseas slot will again be filled by Australian seamer-all-rounder Sean Abbott, who is set for eight first-class matches before focusing on the Vitality Blast. “Sean with the new ball and Rahul later on gives the attack nice balance,” Batty said.
Former England spinner Alex Hartley, now working as a pundit, described the signing as “sensible rather than flashy”, pointing out that a reliable wicket-taker “often saves more points than a flashy signing ever gains”.
For Surrey, the arithmetic is clear. Promotion isn’t an issue – they stayed up – but silverware remains the target. Chahar’s ability to turn the old ball on benign surfaces could yet be decisive if the title race tightens in September.
