Leicestershire sign Ajinkya Rahane for 2023 county season

Out of favour from the national set-up, Ajinkya Rahane has a golden opportunity to stake his claim once again, with English county club Leicestershire signing him up for the upcoming 2023 season in which he will play eight County Championship matches and the entirety of the Royal London One-Day competition.

Rahane will feature in the Indian Premier League, where he has been signed by Chennai Super Kings for the 2023 edition and will join Leicestershire's overseas signings list for 2023 after the tournament concludes in May. The former Indian vice-captain will join the likes of South African allrounder Wiaan Mulder, who has rejoined for all three formats, and Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, who has signed for a third consecutive Vitality Blast campaign.

"I'm really happy to be joining Leicestershire for the upcoming season," Rahane said. "I can't wait to play alongside my new teammates and explore the vibrant city of Leicester."

"I'm extremely excited to welcome Ajinkya to Leicestershire," the club's director of cricket Claude Henderson said. "He comes with a lot of experience and a tremendous work ethic. It's an excellent 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 last played for India in January 2022 and with the emergence of Shreyas Iyer, things have looked pretty dire for the Mumbaikar. However, Rahane has done quite well in the Ranji Trophy this year, having scored 634 runs in seven matches, including a double hundred, averaging 57.63.