Bears announce return of popular all-rounder for 2026 season

Barker, who turns 39 in October, is heading back to Edgbaston six years after leaving for Hampshire, having agreed a 12-month contract with the Bears.

The left-arm seamer took 357 wickets and scored six first-class centuries during his previous decade-long stay with the club, playing a key role in the 2012 Championship-winning side.

But he has not played any form of professional cricket since July 2024, having recently completed a 12-month ban for failing a drug test.

Barker said: “I’m really looking forward to playing for Warwickshire again. I’ve got so many great memories from my previous ten years there, it kind of feels like I am coming home.

“I truly believe the team have got the potential to challenge at the very highest level. I can’t wait to get back out there and show I can still add something to the side.”

Barker was suspended after returning a contained an adverse analytical finding for the drug indapamide, which is used to treat hypertension.

He had been prescribed it to treat high blood pressure but its use was not declared to UK Anti-Doping.

Barker’s backdated year-long suspension, reduced from the mandatory two years after a UKAD panel accepted he was not seeking any performance advantage, only became public knowledge in April. He has been eligible to return to cricket since July 4 but is yet to feature for Hampshire in either the County Championship or One-Day Cup.  

Warwickshire first-team coach Ian Westwood said: "Keith is a previous Bears alumnus, so to have him coming back home is fantastic. Having spent a decade with us earlier in his career, it feels ‘full-circle’ to have him back on the team.

“This signing represents a strategic short-term signing that brings proven quality and invaluable experience to our squad for 2026. 

“Keith's return also offers a fantastic opportunity for our emerging talents to learn from someone who's performed consistently at this level for over a decade. His mentorship and experience will be invaluable in accelerating their development as they establish themselves in county cricket.

“Keith knows the club, he knows what we're about, and he brings the kind of winning mentality that will benefit our entire squad."