Ajinkya Rahane County: Leicestershire County Cricket Club is thrilled to announce the signing of India batsman Ajinkya Rahane for the 2023 season. The 34-year-old is set to arrive in June following his IPL campaign with Chennai Super Kings, and will be available for eight LV= Insurance County Championship matches, as well as the entirety of the One Day Cup. Follow County Championship 2023 Updates with InsideSport.IN.
Rahane, who has captained his country in all formats, has scored more than 8,000 runs at international level, reaching three figures on 12 occasions in Test cricket and three times in ODI cricket.
Ajinkya Rahane County: After Ranji Trophy exit, Ajinkya Rahane takes County route, signs up deal with Leicestershire – Check out
✍️ Leicestershire CCC is thrilled to confirm the signing of India star @ajinkyarahane88 for the 2023 season. 🇮🇳
The former @BCCI captain will join in June for 8 County Championship matches and the entirety of the One Day Cup. 🤩
Full story. 👇
— Leicestershire CCC 🏏 (@leicsccc) January 31, 2023
After making his debut against England in 2011, the right-hander has gone on to feature for India on 192 occasions, headlined by a knock of 188 against New Zealand in 2016. The experienced batsman has appeared 82 times in the Test arena, with his 4,931 runs coming at an average of 38.52; and on 90 occasions in One Day Internationals, scoring 2,962 runs at 35.26.
On the Test stage, Rahane stands as one of only six Indians to have scored a century in each innings of a match, while he also holds the world record for most catches in a Test (eight vs Sri Lanka, 2015).
Collectively, the former India skipper has accumulated just shy of 25,000 career runs, notching 51 centuries en route, including two in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals and one in the County Championship for Hampshire during his maiden county cricket stint in 2019.
Ajinkya Rahane County: After Ranji Trophy exit, Ajinkya Rahane takes County route, signs up deal with Leicestershire – Check out
Upon signing for the Foxes, the overseas star 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.” Director of Cricket, Claude Henderson, added: “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 definitely a senior overseas batsman, so we are delighted to have secured someone of Ajinkya’s calibre.”
Rahane becomes Leicestershire’s latest overseas signing for 2023, joining 2022 leading run-scorer, Wiaan Mulder, who has rejoined for all three formats, and Naveen-ul-Haq, who has signed for a third consecutive Vitality Blast campaign.
A fourth international addition, set to feature across the County Championship in Rahane’s absence during April and May, has also been lined up, Henderson has confirmed. The Club will announce further details in the coming weeks.
Ajinkya Rahane County: After Ranji Trophy exit, Ajinkya Rahane takes County route, signs up deal with Leicestershire – Check out
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