Ajinkya Rahane to join Leicestershire in second-half of County season

India batter Ajinkya Rahane is set to join Leicestershire for the second half of the County Championship and will also be available for the One-Day Cup. He had agreed to join the team for the 2023 season but could not play for them following his call-up for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final agianst Australia. Consequently, he also went on to play in the Test series against West Indies following the WTC final and has not played for India since. 

"We are thrilled to welcome someone of Ajinkya's quality to Leicestershire," Claude Henderson, Leicestershire's director of cricket, said. 

"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."

Rahane, 36, is due to join Leicestershire in mid-July and will act as a replacement for South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who is expected to be on international duty. Leicestershire will hope Rahane's inclusion will help them defend the one-day title, which they won last September.

"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," Rahane said.

"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."

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