Virdi, 26, took 39 wickets in Surrey’s championship-winning season in 2018 and was considered a future Test prospect at the time, having featured for England Under-19s in 2016 and 2017. He was part of England’s training bubble. They toured the subcontinent in early 2021 as a preliminary to series against Sri Lanka and India during the 2020 Covid-19 season.
On his first-team debut in May 2017, he joined Sam Curran, Ryan Patel and Ollie Pope to form the first quartet of teenagers to play for a county since the Second World War, and only the fifth in history to do so.
But unlike his contemporaries, who are all fixtures in Surrey’s first XI, Virdi’s opportunities have diminished in recent years and Surrey tend to prefer batting all-rounders like Will Jacks or Dan Lawrence to take on the spin burden. .
He spent the second half of the 2024 county season on loan at Worcestershire, where he took 14 wickets in four games, including a five-wicket haul against Hampshire in September, but a permanent move is understood to be unlikely. He previously spent time on loan at Somerset in 2022, while his most recent Championship away game was at Surrey in September 2021.
“I have been a part of the club since I was 11 and I look back on my time at Surrey with very fond memories and have some amazing memories of playing for the club,” Virdi said.
“Winning the County Championship in 2018 was a personal highlight and it was amazing to be part of the team that brought success back to the club after so many years.
“We’ve had a tough few years with selection and pitching at Surrey, but we believe he still has a huge amount to offer the game, as he did during his recent loan spell at Worcestershire, and we’re looking forward to whatever the next step is in his career. “
Director of Cricket Alec Stewart added: “It is always difficult to let a player go from a club, especially when he has been in our organization since he was a young boy. We maintain the balance of the bowling attack we have used in the Championship, which has given us great success in recent years. The Virds failed to find their way into the starting eleven.
“I firmly believe his bowling has a lot to offer the rest of the county and I hope he can find a new home where he can showcase his talents and further his career. I will do everything possible to help him find a good solution. no see.
“On behalf of everyone at Surrey CCC, I would like to thank Virds for the service he has provided over the years. We must never forget the impact he had in winning the 2018 County Championship title.”
