Team India's veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane has joined Leicestershire Foxes for 5 County Championship division two matches ahead for the 2nd half of the season. He will also play in the one-day campaign for the same County team as the right-hander tries to plot his way back to the national side after a lengthy hiatus.
Rahane had signed up for Leicestershire Foxes even last year ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval. He was also selected for the tour of the West Indies and subsequently did not play for them. The Caribbean tour was also Rahane's final appearance for India.
Leicestershire's director of cricket Claude Henderson remains thrilled to have the right-hander in the ranks, claiming that he brings so much to the side. As quoted in the official website, Henderson stated:
"We are thrilled to welcome someone of Ajinkya's quality to Leicestershire. It was unfortunate that Ajinkya's schedule didn't quite work with ours last year, but it's a massive boost to have secured his services for the business end of this season. He holds immense experience and vital leadership qualities, which will be hugely beneficial to the team alongside his run-scoring ability. Ajinkya's arrival also presents a fantastic opportunity for our batters to learn from one of the game's best.
"I followed the team's results last year and was very impressed" - Ajinkya Rahane
The 36-year-old equally expressed his excitement and hopes to maximise his contributions for Leicestershire during his limited time.
"I'm really excited to have another opportunity to come to Leicestershire. I've built a strong rapport with Claude and [head coach] Alfonso [Thomas], and I'm looking forward to playing for the club this summer. I followed the team's results last year and was very impressed with what I saw. I'm hoping to enjoy my cricket and contribute to more success for the club this season."
The Maharashtra-born cricketer has 13225 first-class runs in 188 matches, averaging 45.76.
