Reports: Ajinkya Rahane to play for Leicestershire after Caribbean tour

Ajinkya Rahane. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Veteran India batter Ajinkya Rahane is likely to play for Leicestershire in the English County Championship Division Two after team India’s two Test matches against West Indies. During India’s tour to the West Indies, the Rohit Sharma-led side will play two Tests, three one-day internationals (ODIs), and five T-20 internationals (T20Is).

This will be the India batter’s second County stint, having played for Hampshire in the County Championship Division One in 2019. He was the first Indian batter to represent Hampshire. The former India Test vice-captain has had a memorable county debut, scoring a century against Nottinghamshire in a Division One game.

Recently, Rahane made a comeback to the Indian squad during the recently held 2023 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. The 35-year-old was crucial in team India’s both innings, scoring 89 and 46 runs, respectively. However, India suffered a humiliating 209-run defeat, their second straight loss in the WTC final.

Rahane reportedly signed a deal with Leicestershire in January 2023 and was believed to play eight first-class games and the entire Royal London Cup (domestic 50-over competition) after the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign. However, he then made a comeback to the Indian Test team and could not join the English county team.

As per a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source, Rahane is supposed to travel to England after the two Tests in West Indies to play for Leicestershire. The source also said that the 35-year-old batter will also play the Royal London Cup in August and four County games in September.

“Ajinkya, after the two Tests in West Indies (which is supposed to end on July 24), is supposed to fly directly to England and join Leicestershire for the remainder of the season. He will play Royal London Cup in August and a possible four County games in September as he is unlikely to be a part of white-ball scheme of things,” a BCCI source said as quoted by NDTV.