Raheem Ahmed signs Leicestershire deal to play alongside brother Rehan

Raheem Ahmed, the younger brother of England legspinner Rehan and older brother of Nottinghamshire offspinner Farhan, has signed a two-year contract with Leicestershire four years after the club released him from their academy.

Raheem, 23, bowls left-arm seam and was once rated the best of the three brothers by Rehan. "He's very good," Rehan said in 2022, shortly before he made his Test debut in Pakistan. "I'm not just saying it, because I'd never say it in front of him, but he's actually quite good - better than he thinks he is, anyway."

Unlike his brothers, Raheem did not sign as a professional when he was a teenager and has instead spent the past four seasons playing club cricket for Cavaliers and Carrington in the Nottinghamshire Premier League, as well as for Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire's second XIs.

Leicestershire announced on Friday that Raheem had signed a rookie deal at the club. Ali Farooq, a left-arm spinner who has played for England's Under-19s, and seamer Theo Marshall have also signed contracts.

"It's been a pleasure to watch Ali and Theo progress through the pathway and take their opportunities in the Second XI," Jigar Naik, the head of Leicestershire's talent pathway, said.

"It's also particularly pleasing to see Raheem earn a contract after leaving the Academy in 2022. He's worked hard to get back into the professional game and can be proud of what he's achieved.

"All three have put a lot of work into getting here, and it's a proud moment for them and the coaches who've supported them along the way."

It is unusual for three brothers to play simultaneously in county cricket, though not unprecedented: Ben Curran spent several seasons with Northamptonshire while brothers Tom and Sam were at Surrey, though has since pledged his allegiance to their native Zimbabwe.

Leicestershire's relegation to Division Two of the County Championship was recently confirmed after their appeal against a 19-point penalty for preparing a substandard pitch was thrown out.