Keshav Maharaj (Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X.com)
South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has signed a transformative deal with English county Leicestershire for next season. County club Leicestershire, who will be returning to Division One, have signed the African spinner for the first four months of the 2026 season.
Keshav Maharaj's Deal With Leicestershire Goes Through
Keshav Maharaj has been one of the outstanding spinners in the South African lineup, having picked up 313 wickets for the Proteas side in 152 games, as he has played an outstanding role for his national side in the past.
Building on his reputation, the Leicestershire Foxes have signed the services of Keshav Maharaj for the next season of the County Championship Division 1, as they return to the top tier after a 22-year exile.
Interestingly, Leicestershire will be playing in Division 1 after missing out consecutively for the last two decades, as the promotion has come on the path of some outstanding performances in the past.
They have signed this left-arm spinner, who they believe will be crucial for their chances in the upcoming season, as he will be central to their plans.
As for Maharaj, the left-arm spinner will be plying his trade for the first two months in the County Championship and then for the next two months in the T20 Blast, where he will be seen donning the Foxes jersey in the 20-over format. This clearly means that he would not be available for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 edition, as he will be in the UK for these tournaments.
Maharaj's Previous Experience Could Come In Handy
Previously, Maharaj, who has featured for Lancashire in 2018 and Yorkshire in 2019, has managed to grab a total of 55 wickets in his eight County Championship matches. His records were also proven when he featured for the South African side in the recent World Test Championship final in June in England against Australia.
Speaking on the development, Maharaj confirmed that he is quite ecstatic to be a part of the Foxes lineup, as he looks to feature for the club that has been doing wonderfully in the past few years.
"I love playing county cricket. The competitiveness helps you adapt and improve your game, so I can't wait to get stuck into that challenge and hopefully put in some big performances for the Foxes," Maharaj said.
Leicestershire recently also signed a one-year extended deal with their skipper, Peter Hanscomb, who will be leading the club next year as well, after they were given a go-ahead to Division One last week. Also, South Africa have a clear window in those four months, as Maharaj will be fully available for the county side.
Leicestershire finished at the top of the Division Two County Championship in 2025, winning six out of their 12 games, losing just one and drawing five, as they accumulated 205 points, finishing ahead of Glamorgan, who had 180, to progress to Division One for the 2026 edition.
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