Murali Vijay set to join Essex

Vijay recently played in the first two Tests of the ongoing Test series against England and was subsequently dropped from the side following unimpressive performances. He registered scores of 20 and six in the first Test, while he was dismissed for a duck in both innings of the Lord's Test.

However, prior to the series, he scored 53 in the first innings in a practice match against his new county side – Essex.

The Indian batsman said that he was thrilled to be part of the county set-up, and said in a statement that he "can’t wait to play for Essex"

"I was here with the India side about a month ago and saw first-hand just how good the crowd is. I can’t wait to play for Essex and hopefully win some matches," said Vijay.

Anthony McGrath, the Essex County Cricket Club's head coach said: "We’re delighted that Vijay has chosen to come here. He’s a great batsman who can score runs at the top of the order.

"Vijay’s run-scoring ability means he can be the difference-maker in a game, and that skill is something we were looking to bring in towards the end of the season and something that we’re excited about.

"The campaign is coming to an end and we have some really big games over the next month, so getting someone in with the experience and international quality that Vijay possesses could make all the difference for us," he added.

Essex are currently fourth in Division One of the County Championship, having won four of their 11 matches, with as many losses and two draws while one of their games ended without a result.