Piyush Chawla gets NOC from BCCI to play for Somerset

New Delhi: Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla is set to play for English County Somerset as BCCI has given him the No Objection Certificate (NOC).

Chawla is awaiting necessary visa and upon getting it, he will play for Somerset in the remainder of the season. "The BCCI have provided the requisite No Objection Certificate but Chawla has yet to gain the necessary visa. Somerset are understood to have contingency plans should the visa issue further delay Chawla`s arrival," a report in Cricinfo said. Early in the day India discard Gautam Gambhir revealed that he will play for Essex. Somerset play their next game on August 20 at Edgbaston. and with five games left, they currently sit seventh in the Division One table, eight points ahead of Surrey, in eighth, but having played a game more. Somerset had originally signed Pakistan left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman but he pulled out after being named in the Pakistan squad to play Zimbabwe. Chawla was in the Indian team When India hosted England in December. He has represented Sussex in county cricket in 2009, where he took 36 wickets at 27.25. PTI