Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj’s contract with Yorkshire for the 2020 County Championship season has been terminated.

West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran and Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s contracts with Yorkshire have also been suspended amid the hiatus of professional cricket in the United Kingdom due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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‘I really appreciate the players’ understanding in this matter,’ said Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon.

‘We have been in regular contact with the players and their agents throughout this Covid-19 pandemic.

‘They have been extremely professional and appreciate the uncertainty facing counties at present. We hope that we will be able to see them at Headingley in the future.’

Maharaj took 38 wickets in five County Championship fixtures for Yorkshire in 2019. The tally was the second highest among Yorkshire players. Only former Proteas fast bowler Duanne Olivier managed five more wickets in 13 fixtures.

Maharaj captained the Dolphins in South African franchise cricket earlier this year. He is a contender to succeed former Test captain Faf du Plessis, with batsmen Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar also in contention. ODI and T20I captain Quinton de Kock is not, as confirmed by Cricket South Africa director of cricket Graeme Smith earlier this month.

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