Ravichandran Ashwin: Worcestershire sign India spinner for Championship climax

Ravichandran Ashwin averages 25.26 with the ball and 32.82 with the bat in Test cricket

Worcestershire have signed India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for the remainder of the 2017 county season.

The 30-year-old, who is third in the Test bowling rankings, has joined as a replacement for injured Australia all-rounder John Hastings.

He has taken 292 wickets and scored 2,035 runs in 52 Tests for India.

"Ravi is a fantastic international cricketer who is currently in terrific form with his game," said the county's director of cricket Steve Rhodes.

Ashwin took 17 wickets in three Tests as India completed a whitewash in Sri Lanka on Monday.

He also took 28 wickets in India's 4-0 series win against England at the end of last year.

His first spell in English county cricket will be as part of a Worcestershire team chasing promotion from Division Two of the Championship.

Worcestershire are in the second promotion spot with four games left, but Northamptonshire, Sussex and Kent are all within 17 points and also have a game in hand.

"It is a really important last few games in the Championship and to have someone of his class is a huge boost for the club," Rhodes added.

"The good thing about Ravi is he has been successful on all types of pitches in all sorts of different countries. He is a class bowler who will bowl well here."

It is understood India's chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad, wants to give players experience in English conditions ahead of the five-Test series against England in 2018.

India captain Virat Kohli has previously said he "would love" to play county cricket before next summer's Test series.