Rehaan Edavalath targeting regular first-team spot after signing two-year deal with Worcestershire

Edavalath made his first-team debut against Derbyshire in the County Championship in June and has also featured 17 times for the 2nd XI in 2023

Rehaan Edavalath is targeting a regular spot in Worcestershire's first team after putting pen to paper on a two-year deal.

The contract will keep the youngster at New Road until at least the end of 2025.

Fellow academy products Olly Cox and Henry Cullen have also committed their futures to Worcestershire in recent weeks.

Edavalath, who signed his first professional contract last summer, made his first-team debut against Derbyshire in the County Championship in June, scoring 15 runs.

The 19-year-old has also made 17 appearances for the 2nd XI in 2023, most recently scoring an unbeaten 169 (256) in his side's 263-run win over Somerset in the 2nd XI Championship.

^{Fellow academy products Olly Cox and Henry Cullen have also committed their futures to Worcestershire in recent weeks [Dan Mullan/Getty Images]}

Edavalath said: "I'm so happy to sign this new contract. It's what I've wanted to do: play for Worcestershire since I joined the pathway and academy, and hopefully, I can keep performing and help Worcestershire.

"You are always hungry, but making your debut (against Derbyshire) keeps you wanting to strive for even more. That was a great achievement for me; hopefully, I can kick on.

"My main goal over the next two years is to break into the first team, especially in the red-ball cricket, play as many games as I can, and help win as many games for Worcestershire as I can."

Head coach, Alan Richardson, added: "Rehaan was identified as someone with high potential very early on. It is really intriguing to watch how he is developing as a cricketer, as a person. He is a good lad, very bright, hard-working and diligent about how he goes about his stuff.

"He is going to university, so he will work that in and alongside being a professional cricketer for us.

"The thing we know about Rehaan is that he has got a very solid batting technique and a very good temperament. He has got a good cricket brain for someone so young and is quite mature for his age.

"We know it is a huge challenge when you first come onto the professional staff and play games, so he has taken it in his stride well."