ESSEX Cricket have announced that Varun Chopra has put pen-to-paper on a three-year contract which sees him return to the club where he started his career.

The Barking-born batsman has agreed an initial deal until the end of September 2019.

Chopra scored a century on Championship debut for Essex in 2006 before going on to become a highly talented opening batsman in all forms of the game.

In four out of the last five seasons, he was the leading run scorer at Warwickshire and was an integral player in the Championship, One Day and T20 title-winning teams during his time at Edgbaston.

He was named club captain in 2015, but will now return to Essex and head coach Chris Silverwood said he was pleased Chopra had decided to return.

“We are delighted Varun is re-joining us and coming back to the club where he started his professional career,” he said. “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.”

Chopra has been in and out of the team with his contract expiring at the end of the season, and was dropped from the T20 side last month despite smashing a superb 56-ball 97 in his last appearance in the competition.

But Chopra is now returning to the Essex County Ground and he said he was also thrilled at the prospect of the reunion and is looking to use the club to further his international ambitions.

“I am delighted to be re-joining Essex, a club where I have fond memories from the early stages of my career,” said the 29-year-old. “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.”

l To see how Essex Eagles got on in their final Royal London One-Day Cup match against Gloucestershire as they bid to book a home quarter-final visit echo-news.co.uk/sport