NEW DELHI: India opener Murali Vijay has signed up with Essex County Cricket Club and will represent the team in the remainder of the 2018 County Championship campaign. Vijay featured in the first two Tests of the ongoing Test series against England before being axed for teenager Prithvi Shaw. “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,” Vijay said. Essex Head Coach Anthony McGrath is thrilled to add Vijay to the side. “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 said. Published in Daily Times, September 9th 2018.