India Test stalwart Ajinkya Rahane has reportedly approached the BCCI to seek permission to play in the County Championship for Hampshire.
The India Test deputy skipper will have plenty of time on his hands in the summer after not being considered for selection in the 15-man ODI squad for the 2019 World Cup in England.
According to a report by IANS, Rahane has submitted an application to the BCCI and its Committee of Administrators (CoA) to seek permission to play for Hampshire from May to mid-July this year.
If granted permission to do so, Rahane will play in the County circuit for the first time in his professional career. Last year, India’s top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara had turned out for Yorkshire in the County Championship First Division while skipper Virat Kohli was due to play for Surrey before pulling out due to a late injury.
Pujara turned out for Yorkshire last year.
“There is no reason why Rahane wouldn’t be granted permission as the likes of Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara were also given the go-ahead,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by IANS.
“Also, Rahane isn’t a part of the World Cup team, so he won’t have any international commitment at that time. He wants to play four-day games and that should actually help him when he returns to play Test cricket for India after the showpiece event gets over in England and Wales,” the official added.
Rahane is currently leading Rajasthan Royals in the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) where he has so far scored 201 runs in eight innings.
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