Sandeep Warrier to join Chhattisgarh as Guest Player for 2026-27 domestic season

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu pacer Sandeep Warrier, 35, has decided to shift allegiance and will play for Chhattisgarh as a ‘Guest Player’ in the upcoming domestic season (2026-27), a move reported on August 13, 2026. The change ends a five-season spell in which he served as one of Tamil Nadu’s primary pace options.

Warrier began his First-Class career with Kerala and became a registered Tamil Nadu player in 2020. Over the last five years he operated as the pace spearhead for Tamil Nadu and was part of two Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy-winning squads, in 2021 and 2021-22. He also played a role in Tamil Nadu reaching the Ranji Trophy semifinals in 2023-24.

Last season proved difficult for Warrier: he took only six wickets in the first five Ranji Trophy matches and was left out for the final two fixtures. The dip in returns followed several more productive campaigns for the state side.

“I had a good time with TN and won two titles and was part of knockouts twice in Ranji Trophy. In every year that I was part of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the team reached the knockouts. I had a offer from Chhattisgarh and it was an amicable decision,” said Warrier.

Warrier remains active in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, representing Dindigul Dragons, and will continue to feature in that T20 competition. His franchise commitments are separate from his state registration for the 2026-27 domestic season.

Tamil Nadu will begin its Ranji Trophy campaign against Rajasthan in Jaipur in the first round starting on October 11, followed by home fixtures against Uttarakhand and Railways. In Elite Group-D this season Tamil Nadu will also face Chandigarh, Himachal, Mumbai and Haryana.