Leicestershire’s return to Division One next summer will be boosted by the signing of South Africa star Keshav Maharaj.

The world’s number one ODI bowler will join the newly promoted Foxes for the opening four months of the 2026 campaign, covering the first block of Rothesay County Championship matches and the entirety of the Vitality Blast.

A revered left-arm spinner, Maharaj has claimed an astonishing 998 wickets across formats during his career, including 313 on the international stage for reigning World Test champions South Africa.

The 35-year-old has 632 first-class wickets to his name - taken at 26.78 apiece - registering a career-best haul of 9/129 against Sri Lanka in July 2018.

He has also shown his capabilities with the bat, amassing almost 6,000 runs across formats with two centuries in the longest form of the game.

Maharaj’s stint with Leicestershire will be his third in county cricket, having previously excelled during spells with Lancashire and Yorkshire in Division One, during which he accumulated 55 wickets at an average of 18.2 from just eight County Championship appearances.

Upon signing for the Foxes, Maharaj said: “I’m really proud to be joining Leicestershire. I’ve been digging into the history of the Club, and it seems like a very exciting time to sign."

“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?"

“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. I’m a competitor, that’s one of my biggest things. I like to be relentless in whatever I do but also be a calm character who can contribute to the culture in the changing room. Hopefully I can add those qualities to Leicestershire and help propel the team to what they want to achieve.”

Director of Cricket, Claude Henderson, said: “It’s fantastic to welcome Keshav to Leicestershire. 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 becomes the second overseas addition to sign up for Leicestershire’s Division One comeback, joining Australian international Peter Handscomb for the 2026 campaign.