Stephen Eskinazi: The Leader Driving Leicestershire's Metro Bank Charge

When Stephen Eskinazi arrived at Leicestershire last September, he couldn't have timed it much better.

Promotion was secured in his first match. The County Championship title followed in his second. By his third appearance, he was lifting silverware alongside teammates who had spent years rebuilding the club from the ground up.

"It was a really cool time to get involved with the club," Eskinazi reflects. "As soon as I got here, I understood exactly why it was such a slick operation, with such good people in a club that really felt like it was on the rise."

Almost a year on, the experienced batter has found himself leading the Foxes through another exciting chapter. With Peter Handscomb unavailable for the Metro Bank One Day Cup, Eskinazi has taken on the captaincy, guiding Leicestershire to the top of Group A as they push for another knockout campaign.

But while results have been impressive, the 32-year-old insists success has been built on something much deeper than league tables.

Building Something Bigger

Having spent almost 15 years in the professional game, Eskinazi has experienced both the highs of title-winning sides and the lows of relegation battles.

Those experiences have shaped the leader he is today.

"I've been around the game long enough to know that nothing's plain sailing," he says. "Sustained success is something that's really hard to achieve."

Rather than focusing solely on wins and losses, Eskinazi has encouraged the squad to enjoy the opportunity in front of them.

"When I was given the honour of captaining this historic club, I wanted to instil that these really are the best times of our lives.

"To be turning up with your mates, playing cricket in the middle of the summer for a fantastic cricket club and for people that really care about the club is something we shouldn't take for granted."

Those conversations have extended well beyond tactics.

Eskinazi wanted the squad to define what an enjoyable month of cricket actually looked like.

"Are we socialising together? Are we caring about each other? Are we having families in the dressing room? What is it about Leicestershire County Cricket Club that makes you happy?

"We know the talent is there. It's about harnessing that group community mind for people to go out there and play for each other."

A Club Worth Joining

Before signing for the Foxes, Eskinazi admits he had been watching Leicestershire's progress from afar.

Conversations with James Taylor, Peter Handscomb, Claude Henderson and Alfonso Thomas only strengthened his belief that Grace Road was the right place to continue his career.

"It was always a club that I felt were doing the right things," he explains.

"I wanted to be part of what was happening here."

What struck him most wasn't simply the cricket.

"You could see how much work had gone into it. It meant so much to everyone - the players, the backroom staff, the people who work around the ground.

"It was a real one-club mentality."

That culture, he believes, has become the club's greatest strength.

"You try and create something that's a little bit bigger than the individual.

"You bring in the right people who are playing for the right reasons, and you give people something to aspire to outside of just batting averages and bowling averages.

"When you're really bought into something that's outside yourself, you can keep pouring everything into that collective goal."

Loving Life as a Fox

Off the field, Eskinazi has embraced life in Leicestershire.

Swapping the pace of London for the quieter surroundings of Kibworth has allowed him to focus fully on both his cricket and enjoying the game again.

"It's been a slower pace of life moving from Middlesex," he says.

"At my age, it's been something that's really welcome.

"I moved here with some pretty clear cricketing goals and being here has given me the space to get my head down, work with James Taylor and fundamentally enjoy my cricket again."

The Fans Make the Difference

If there's one thing that has stood out most during this One Day Cup campaign, it's been the support.

The opening fixture at Kibworth left a lasting impression on Eskinazi, who believes the passion shown by Foxes supporters has played a huge role in the team's performances.

"As a professional player, every time you pull on the Fox you should compete and give it your absolute all.

"But turning up to Kibworth and seeing how full the ground was with kids and passionate supporters, any doubts about how much people loved this team and this competition disappeared very quickly."

He believes the Metro Bank One Day Cup has showcased everything that makes county cricket special.

"It would have been easy for supporters not to come because they felt they weren't seeing the biggest names.

"But it's been the complete opposite.

"I think county cricket supporters have shown how much they love their clubs, and the players have responded by putting on a really good show."

Eyes on the Prize

With knockout cricket now firmly in sight, Eskinazi knows opportunities like these do not come around often.

"I've played a lot of cricket and I haven't played in too many finals or knockout stages.

"The older you get, the more you realise how special those moments really are."

Despite sitting at the top of the group, his message to the dressing room remains exactly the same.

Don't change.

"The reason we're in this position is because we've focused on the process.

"It's not gripping the bat tighter or trying to score 150. It's being smart, enjoying your cricket, playing with passion and chasing every ball to the boundary.

"If we keep doing those things, we'll give ourselves the best chance."

For Eskinazi, success has never been solely about lifting trophies.

It's about creating an environment where players enjoy turning up every day, where teammates celebrate one another's achievements, and where a club and its supporters feel united behind a common goal.

Judging by the atmosphere around Uptonsteel Grace Road this summer, it's a philosophy that is paying dividends