Chopra rejoins Essex on three-year deal

Varun Chopra, the England Lions batsman, has agreed a deal to return to Essex. Chopra, who is currently with Warwickshire, started his career with Essex and scored a century on Championship debut for the club as an 18-year-old. But he left in pursuit of more opportunities at the end of 2009 and has enjoyed seven largely successful seasons in Birmingham.

He helped Warwickshire to the County Championship title in 2012 and was captain when they won the domestic T20 competition for the first time in 2014. He was the only man at the club to score 1000 runs in each Championship season between 2011 and 2013 and won a place in the Lions side as a result.

He stepped down as captain before the 2016 season largely as he felt the responsibility was compromising his pursuit of an England place - aged 29, time is running out to achieve that ambition - and was replaced by Ian Bell.

His relationship with the Warwickshire team management has sourced in recent times, however, and he has been left out of the white-ball sides for most of this season. The club confirmed a few weeks ago that they would not be offering him a new contract at the end of this season. He has now signed a three-year deal with Essex.

"I am delighted to be rejoining Essex, a club where I have fond memories from the early stages of my career," Chopra said. "I look forward to returning as a more developed player and being part of a talented, ambitious and exciting team led by Chris Silverwood.

"As I enter a key stage in my career, I am intent on contributing in all formats of the game and in doing that, I hope to achieve my desire to play for England. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Warwickshire, the players and the fans at Edgbaston for their support over the past seven seasons."

While Warwickshire have suggested Chopra did not completely buy into their long-term plans for the club, the policy of leaving him out in limited-overs cricket has hindered their progress this season. In the one T20 match he played, Chopra made an unbeaten 97 - the highest score by a non-overseas player in Warwickshire's T20 history - to help Birmingham Bears to victory, yet he was then omitted and the club failed to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Chris Silverwood, Essex's head coach, said: "We are delighted Varun is re-joining us and coming back to the club where he started his professional career. His Division One experience will be invaluable to our batting line-up and younger players. It is great to have an Essex man coming back to the club and he will be a great addition for us moving forward."