The hammer fell on Friday. Essex County Cricket Club confirmed that batter Robin Das is no longer part of their squad. It wasn't a mutual parting of ways. The 24-year-old had just walked out of a London court where he faced two charges of rape.
The timeline is messy. Das was arrested in August 2025 over an incident reported in Brixton back in March 2024. Prosecutors charged him in July. Now, he’s on conditional bail. A five-day trial is locked in for January 2028. Until then, the legal machine grinds on.
Essex didn't mince words in their statement. They called the matter "serious" and refused to speculate further. Crucially, they clarified that his departure stems from his unavailability due to suspension, not a direct link to the court case. "This decision was separate from the ongoing legal proceedings," the club stated.
Das’s cricket career in England has been brief. Born to a father from Sunamganj, Bangladesh, the English-born batter made just one first-team appearance for Essex in 2026. He scored 29 runs against Middlesex in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup on July 21. That’s it. One innings. One chance.
The club cited "robust safeguarding and disciplinary procedures" in their release, promising continued collaboration with the ECB and PCA. For now, Das remains a free agent with a heavy legal burden. The court will decide his fate, not the cricket board. Next stop: the courtroom in 2028.