India’s Test deputy skipper, Ajinkya Rahane is likely to be traded to Delhi Capitals from Rajasthan Royals before the IPL players’ transfer window expires on Thursday. Rahane, who has been trying to get back into India’s limited-overs squad, established his T20 credentials as an opener after moving to Royals from Mumbai Indians in 2011.

Talking about the same, a BCCI official said, “Talks are still going on. A decision has to be made before the end of the day and it will be made.’

Rahane has amassed two Test centuries at an average of 32.93 with a strike rate of 121.92. In 2012, he was Royals’ highest run-scorer. The deal could also be a swap between Royals’ Rahane, who has a price tag of ₹4 crores, and Capitals’ Prithvi Shaw, whose doping ban ends on Friday. 

ALSO READ: Shikhar Dhawan Targets Ranji Trophy to Make a Comeback in Tests

In IPl 2019, Rahane, who was removed as skipper in the middle of the 2019 season with Steve Smith taking over the leadership, did rather well last year, scoring 393 runs in 14 games at 32.75, including an unbeaten 105. He played his last T20 for India in August 2016 and an ODI in February 2018.

Delhi Capitals team will give Mayank Markande and Rahul Tewatia to Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Rahane. Delhi Capitals had expressed their desire to include Rahane in their squad in August. Meanwhile, the veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be skipping Kings XI Punjab in the next season of the IPL to play for the Delhi Capitals team.

A Delhi Capitals official told IANS, “Yes, the process is on and we are awaiting the signature of the director of Kings XI Punjab before reaching the agreement. The team management believes that the kind of wickets we have at home Seeing that he played, he can play an important role. “

ALSO READ: Virat Kohli Expresses His Interest on How Old Pink Ball Behaves in Dew

Delhi Capitals team will give Mayank Markande and Rahul Tewatia to Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Rahane. Confirming this, a Rajasthan Royals official said, “Yes, we are trading in the hands of Delhi Capitals and we will acquire Markande and Teotia. But the final clearance is yet to be found on this as well.”

Kings XI Punjab bought Ashwin for ₹7.6 crores in the 2018 auction. He scalped 15 wickets in 14 matches for Punjab in the IPL this year. Ashwin has taken 125 wickets in 139 matches so far in the IPL.