Ajinkya Rahane, the former vice-captain of India in Test, is supposed to join Leicestershire in June of this year to win the County Championship in 2023 and regain his spot in the Indian Test team.
Due to his poor batting efforts in the 2021/22 season, Rahane, who had previously led Team India to a spectacular victory on Australian soil in the 2020–21 Border–Gavaskar series, is no longer included in the national team’s red-ball squad.
The Mumbai player is eager to use his knowledge to the fullest advantage of Leicestershire’s batting lineup. In reality, the 34-year-old has declared himself available for the Royal London Cup and County Championship.
However, it’s been claimed that the former India Test vice-captain would only be eligible for selection for Leicestershire’s away game against Gloucestershire, which is set to take place from June 11 to June 14. Before that, he would be occupied with his IPL 2023 responsibilities, the Indian Premier League.
Rahane said, “I’m really happy to be joining Leicestershire for the upcoming season. I can’t wait to play alongside my new teammates and explore the vibrant city of Leicester.”
Leicestershire club’s director said, “I’m extremely excited to welcome Ajinkya to Leicestershire. He comes with a lot of experience and a tremendous work ethic. It’s a great opportunity for us to tap into that. I had conversations with (Assistant Coach) Alfonso Thomas and (Head Coach) Paul Nixon, who had eyed Ajinkya in the past, so he was always on our radar. It was a case of seeing what the team needed, which was a senior overseas batsman, so we are delighted to have secured someone of Ajinkya’s caliber.”
