Leicestershire CCC is delighted to announce the appointment of Peter Handscomb as Club captain.

The Australian international will take over duties from Lewis Hill, who stepped down from the role at the end of the 2024 season.

Having led Leicestershire on 15 occasions in the Vitality Blast across the previous two campaigns, Handscomb’s updated role will now see him captain the Foxes in first-class and List A cricket, with a new T20 skipper to be announced in due course.

The 33-year-old holds extensive leadership experience, captaining hometown club Victoria on 97 occasions, as well as leading Australia A, Durham, Hobart Hurricanes, and Middlesex prior to his time at Uptonsteel County Ground.

Since arriving in the East Midlands in 2023, Handscomb has enjoyed successive run-laden years with the bat, scoring 2,872 runs across formats. His returns include 1,575 runs at an average of 58.33 in first-class cricket, and 940 runs at 62.66 in List A matches.

The Melbourne-born batter heads into his third season with Leicestershire on the back of a remarkable 2024 campaign. He finished top of the Club’s run-scoring charts in Division Two with 894 runs at 74.5, while his 539 runs at 67.37 in the Metro Bank One Day Cup saw him end as the competition’s outright leading run-scorer.

Discussing his appointment, Handscomb said: “It’s a huge honour to be named Club captain of Leicestershire. To be able to lead these boys will be something very special and I’m confident we can have a successful year ahead."

“The Club has made some incredible steps in fighting for promotion and winning trophies in the past couple of years. A lot of that is down to Lewis [Hill] and the coaching staff for giving players freedom and letting them know they’re backed in all situations. We’ll continue that approach."

“My time as T20 captain gave me a better understanding of the boys and a chance to find out what makes them tick. Hopefully that means I can get the most out of them and I’ll certainly give as much support as possible to help guys thrive."

“The support from the fans has been incredible from day one. They’ve made me and my family feel extremely welcome, hopefully I can lead from the front and continue to repay that support.”

Director of Cricket, Claude Henderson, said: “Pete is a proven leader within the game and possesses all the necessary qualities we require of a captain."

“He adds a calmness to the team on and off the field, while he is an extremely popular and well-respected member of our changing room. We’re excited to see the value he’ll add in his new role.”