India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane pulls out from county stint with Leicestershire

By India Today Sports Desk: India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has decided to withdraw from his county stint with Leicestershire due to his recall to India’s Test team. Rahane was initially slated to join Leicestershire for the One-Day Cup next month but has opted for a short break from the sport.

To fill the void left by Rahane, Peter Handscomb has been named as his replacement and will continue to play for Leicestershire for an extended period. Handscomb already had the opportunity to represent Leicestershire earlier in the season in both the County Championship and T20 Blast. His List A record is quite impressive, amassing 3,856 runs at an average of 37.43, which includes four centuries.

Handscomb has also contributed significantly to Australia’s ODI success, scoring 632 runs at an average of 33.26. Notably, he played a crucial role in Australia’s historic ODI run chase against India in March 2019, where he scored 117 runs during their four-wicket victory in Mohali. Additionally, he has previous experience playing 50-over cricket in England, having represented Middlesex in 2021 and Yorkshire in 2017, scoring 504 runs at an average of 63 during his time with Yorkshire.

Leicestershire’s Director of Cricket, Claude Henderson, expressed understanding and support for Rahane’s decision to take a break. Given Rahane’s busy schedule with the Indian national team and travel commitments, the team accepts his need to recover and spend time with his family. They also appreciate Rahane’s intention to potentially play for Leicestershire in the future.

Fortunately, the team had anticipated such a situation and are pleased that Handscomb will continue to be a part of the squad. Apart from his batting and wicketkeeping skills, Handscomb also brings strong leadership qualities, which are valued by the team, especially for captain Lewis Hill and the other players in the dressing room.