English county club Essex release Bangladesh-origin player amid rape case

Essex

Essex County Cricket Club have confirmed that batter Robin Das is no longer under contract with the team after he appeared in court on Friday over two charges of rape.The 24-year-old was charged in July and has been released on conditional bail ahead of a five-day trial scheduled for January 2028.According to the Metropolitan Police, Das was arrested in August 2025 following reports of a woman being raped in Brixton in March 2024. The case is now moving through the legal process, with the next major step being his scheduled trial.

Essex confirm end of Das' contract

Essex confirmed that Das' playing contract ended before the conclusion of the 2026 season. The club said the decision followed his suspension and his inability to fulfil his playing commitments.In a statement issued on Friday, the club said: "Essex County Cricket Club is aware of today's court proceedings involving Robin Das. The club recognises the seriousness of the matter and will not comment further on the circumstances of the case."The club also clarified that ending his contract was a separate decision from the ongoing legal proceedings."Das's playing contract with Essex ended prior to the conclusion of the 2026 season following his suspension and his resulting unavailability to fulfil his playing obligations.

This decision was separate from the ongoing legal proceedings."Essex County Cricket Club has robust safeguarding and disciplinary procedures in place and regularly reviews these to ensure they remain appropriate."We will continue to work closely with the ECB, PCA and The Cricket Regulator as part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards across the club."

Robin Das is an English cricketer with Bangladeshi origin

Robin Das is an English cricketer of Bangladeshi origin whose father hails from Sunamganj, a district in northeastern Bangladesh.

Born and raised in England, Das developed his cricket career in the English domestic circuit and represented Essex as a batter.Das made just one first-team appearance for Essex during the 2026 season. He scored 29 runs against Middlesex in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup on July 21.The batter's legal case remains ongoing, and he has been granted conditional bail ahead of the trial. The allegations have yet to be determined by the court.