Snape joins IPL in coaching role

Jeremy Snape will team up with his England Twenty20 team-mate, Dimitri Mascarenhas, after joining the Rajasthan Royals franchise as a performance coach for the forthcoming Indian Premier League.

Snape, 34, has made a name for himself as a Twenty20 specialist since the format was first piloted in England in 2003, and he has helped his Leicestershire team to each of the first four finals days, including the title in 2004. On the strength of these performances, he was selected for September's inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa.

The news comes a day after the chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board, Giles Clarke, hardened his stance against English participation in the IPL, but a statement from Snape's county side said: "Leicestershire are very supportive of his involvement and are sure that he can pass on the experiences gained in India to our younger players, particularly, in our Twenty20 campaign."

Snape will miss four county games during his stint with Rajasthan; the Friends Provident Trophy tie against Northamptonshire followed by the first three rounds of the County Championship. Apart from Mascarenhas, he will be playing alongside the likes of Shane Warne and Justin Langer.