Keshav Maharaj joins Leicestershire for return to Division One
South Africa's left-arm spinner due to play first two months of Championship, then through T20 Blast
ESPNcricinfo staff
12-Sep-2025 • 2 hrs ago
Keshav Maharaj celebrates a wicket • AFP/Getty Images
Leicestershire have signed South Africa's left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj for the first four months of next season as they target a strong return to Division One of the County Championship.
South Africa have a clear window in their international schedule next year, and Maharaj is due to play in the Championship for the first two months of the season and then throughout the T20 Blast. Maharaj has previously been to the IPL, playing two matches for Rajasthan Royals in 2024, but his Leicestershire deal effectively rules him out of the 2026 edition.
Leicestershire's promotion to Division One for the first time since 2003 was confirmed on Thursday thanks to their draw against Gloucestershire. Maharaj will be one of two overseas players at the start of the season along with club captain Peter Handscomb, who has signed a year's extension to his contract.
"I've been digging into the history of the club, and it seems like a very exciting time to sign," Maharaj said. "The boys have done some exceptional work throughout the season and have built some great momentum heading into next year. It's early days, but we're tracking in the right direction, so who knows how far this team can go?"
He has previously featured in county cricket for Lancashire and Yorkshire, and was ruled out of a planned stint at Middlesex in 2023 through injury. His new team-mates at Leicestershire will include Rehan Ahmed, the young England allrounder, whose new role as a No. 3 batter opens up the possibility of both men playing in the same side.
"It's fantastic to welcome Keshav to Leicestershire," Claude Henderson, Leicestershire's director of cricket, said. "Alongside his exceptional cricketing abilities, he will bring vast international experience, leadership skills, and a huge passion for the game - all of which will be fundamental to our changing room."
Maharaj is the latest in a string of signings that Leicestershire have made ahead of the 2026 season. He follows top-order batter Steven Eskinazi (joining from Middlesex), wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Tattersall (Yorkshire) and seam-bowling allrounders Ben Green and Josh Davey (both Somerset).