Derbyshire have agreed terms with Cheteshwar Pujara that will see the Indian Test batsman further his education in English conditions by playing the last three Championship fixtures of the season. Pujara's signing remains subject to final approval from the BCCI and successful registration.
Pujara has already returned to India after the Test series while awaiting the prospect of a few late-season matches. Derbyshire's announcement will frustrate Leicestershire, the Second Division's bottom club, who had been fancied to win his signature.
Marcus North, the former Australia batsman, will remain with Derbyshire and play in the List A competition, while Pujara will play in the four remaining four-day first-class games that Derbyshire have this season.
Pujara already has happy memories of the Derby ground. He made 81 against Derbyshire in July during a three-day tour match. He would have little clue of the problems which would follow as he hit 222 runs with a highest score of 55 in a five-Test series taken 3-1 by England.
Graeme Welch, Derbyshire's elite performance director, said: "Pujara will give a welcome boost to the dressing room in the Championship run-in. We're an ambitious club with a developing group of players and we know that joining our dynamic squad will give Pujara exactly the experience he is looking for."
"Dynamic" has not been a word readily associated with Derbyshire this season as they have struggled to put together impressive form after their relegation last season.
Derbyshire's chief executive, Simon Storey said: "We've been focused on delivering a long-term legacy from the visit of the Indian tourist side in July. Our newly-formed Cricket Derbyshire India Club has been instrumental in supporting our efforts to secure Pujara and we hope the opportunity to watch such an accomplished India Test performer play county cricket here will inspire even more local cricket fans to join us."
Derbyshire win race for Pujara
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Derbyshire win race for Pujara
