Mascarenhas hopeful of return

Dimitri Mascarenhas is currently back leading Hampshire © Getty Images

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Hampshire captain Dimitri Mascarenhas is banking on the extended permission initially promised by chairman Rod Bransgrove to ensure he can return to the Indian Premier League this month.

Mascarenhas, back in charge of Hampshire after spending two weeks with but playing only one match for Shane Warne’s Rajasthan Royals, is already eying a trip back to the sub-continent for the IPL semi-finals and final.

He does not anticipate any problems with Bransgrove honouring a verbal agreement for that eventuality - although the chairman’s most recent remarks on the subject appear far from favourable.

Asked about his plans to return to India, Mascarenhas said: “At this stage I probably will be, for the finals.”

The IPL semi-finals are on May 30 and May 31, and the final is on June 1 - meaning Mascarenhas, who has already missed one championship match at Taunton, faces another absence from Hampshire’s four-day fixture at home to Kent.

“Our team are doing well,” he said of the Royals. “We are top of the table at the moment and we are only a couple of games away from the final and we should get there - so I am looking forward to going back.”

Bransgrove had different expectations when asked earlier this week.

“Given the (championship) position we are in, I would be disappointed if Dimi wanted to leave the ship again,” he said.

“I had left it open but I have had no contact from the Rajasthan Royals with regard to Dimi returning at the end of the month.

“We are in a pickle at the moment - and I hope that, as our captain, he will not ask.”

Bransgrove, it seems, is destined to hear the request after all.

“I haven’t spoken to him since my arrival back here yet,” Mascarenhas confirmed.

“But when we first negotiated he said that I would be able to go back - and I am assuming that still stands.

“It is not ideal with me being the captain. We haven’t talked about me going out there again - I am waiting until this championship game is over.

“But I am sure we can come to some arrangement.”