{{short description|English cricketer}} {{for|the Irish cricketer|Varun Chopra (Irish cricketer)}} {{Use British English|date=July 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Varun Chopra | image = | country = England | fullname = Varun Chopra | nickname = Tidz | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|6|21|df=yes}} | birth_place = Barking, London, England | heightft = 6 | heightinch = 1 | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right arm off break | club1 = Essex | year1 = 2005–2009 | club2 = Warwickshire | year2 = 2010–2016 | clubnumber2 = 3 | club3 = Essex | year3 = 2016–2021 | clubnumber3 = 6 | club4 = → Sussex (on loan) | year4 = 2019 | clubnumber4 = 2 | club5 = → Middlesex (on loan) | year5 = 2021 | clubnumber5 = | type1 = FC | debutdate1 = 15 April | debutyear1 = 2006 | debutfor1 = Essex | debutagainst1 = Loughborough UCCE | type2 = LA | debutdate2 = 9 June | debutyear2 = 2006 | debutfor2 = Essex | debutagainst2 = Sri Lankans | columns = 3 | column1 = FC | matches1 = 192 | runs1 = 10,243 | bat avg1 = 34.48 | 100s/50s1 = 20/50 | top score1 = 233* | deliveries1 = 204 | wickets1 = 0 | bowl avg1 = – | fivefor1 = – | tenfor1 = – | best bowling1 = – | catches/stumpings1 = 228/– | column2 = LA | matches2 = 117 | runs2 = 4,844 | bat avg2 = 45.27 | 100s/50s2 = 12/28 | top score2 = 160 | deliveries2 = 18 | wickets2 = 0 | bowl avg2 = – | fivefor2 = – | tenfor2 = – | best bowling2 = – | catches/stumpings2 = 42/– | column3 = T20 | matches3 = 116 | runs3 = 2,908 | bat avg3 = 29.08 | 100s/50s3 = 2/20 | top score3 = 116 | deliveries3 = – | wickets3 = – | bowl avg3 = – | fivefor3 = – | tenfor3 = – | best bowling3 = – | catches/stumpings3 = 25/– | date = 25 September | year = 2021 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/11770.html Cricinfo | module = {{Listen| embed=yes |filename = Varun Chopra voice.flac |title = Chopra's voice |type = speech |description = recorded April 2015 }} }}

'''Varun Chopra''' (born 21 June 1987) is an English former cricketer who captained the English U-19 cricket team in series against Sri Lanka in 2005 and India in 2006. Chopra attended Ilford County High School and played for Ilford Cricket Club.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/derbyshire-312-essex-2714-flower-proves-hot-in-chiller-404924.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220811/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/derbyshire-312-essex-2714-flower-proves-hot-in-chiller-404924.html |archive-date=11 August 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live| newspaper=The Independent on Sunday | title=Derbyshire 312 Essex 271–4: Flower proves hot in chiller | date=22 June 2006 | access-date=24 April 2011}}</ref> In September 2021, Chopra announced his retirement from cricket.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/essex-opener-varun-chopra-retires-from-cricket-1279924 |title=Essex opener Varun Chopra retires from cricket |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=27 September 2021}}</ref>

==Biography== He played for Essex, and made his debut for the senior side in 2006, making 106 in a drawn game against Gloucestershire, becoming the youngest player to score a century for Essex in county cricket.

Varun Chopra emerged from Essex, a county that has produced several international players, including former England captain Alastair Cook. He is an opening batsman and captained England Under-19s, leading the team to a series whitewash against Sri Lanka in 2005. He averaged 48 in the Test matches and scored a half-century in one of the two One Day Internationals. This was followed by an 11–0 defeat on the winter tour of Bangladesh.

Varun Chopra joined the Willetton Dragons cricket club in the 2006/07 season to play first grade in Western Australia.

Chopra's domestic season started off well in 2006 – he struck a hundred and a fifty on Championship debut and has been slowly making his mark in the first team, even keeping Grant Flower out of the side.

Chopra joined Warwickshire for the start of the 2010 season.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/coventry-warwickshire-sport/coventry-warwickshire-cricket/warwickshire-ccc/2010/03/31/chopra-ready-to-make-a-step-up-with-warwickshire-92746-26143671/ |title=Chopra ready to make a step up with Warwickshire| newspaper=Coventry Telegraph| date=31 May 2010| access-date=24 April 2011}}</ref> In 2011 he became the first Warwickshire batsman to score double tons in back to back county matches.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/counties/8469033/Varun-Chopra-scores-second-successive-double-century-to-put-Warwickshire-in-control-against-Worcestershire.html |title=Varun Chopra scores second successive double century to put Warwickshire in control against Worcestershire| newspaper=The Telegraph|location=London| date=24 April 2011| access-date=24 April 2011}}</ref>

After seven, largely successful seasons at Warwickshire, he returned to Essex during the 2016 season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.essexcricket.org.uk/teams/first-xi/player-profiles/varun-chopra/ |title=Varun Chopra| newspaper=The Fortress| access-date=13 April 2019}}</ref> In 2017 and 2018 he played in the championship only when Alastair Cook was not available, as Nick Browne took the other opener position, but in limited-overs games he was first choice. In 2019 he had spectacular run in the London One-Day Cup scoring 3 centuries and averaging 84<ref>{{cite news |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12760;team=1035;type=tournament |title=Essex Batting Averages| newspaper=cricinfo| access-date=13 April 2019}}</ref> , but Essex did not qualify for the play-offs.

Chopra was part of the England Lions' tour of Australia in 2013, and made a century against Australia A.

In July 2019, he was selected to play for the Amsterdam Knights in the inaugural edition of the Euro T20 Slam cricket tournament.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27222261/eoin-morgan-represent-dublin-franchise-inaugural-euro-t20-slam |title=Eoin Morgan to represent Dublin franchise in inaugural Euro T20 Slam |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=19 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2019/articles/000010/001060.shtml |title=Euro T20 Slam Player Draft completed |work=Cricket Europe |access-date=19 July 2019 |archive-date=19 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719163945/https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2019/articles/000010/001060.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, the following month the tournament was cancelled.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27387389/inaugural-euro-t20-slam-cancelled-two-weeks-notice |title=Inaugural Euro T20 Slam cancelled at two weeks' notice |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=14 August 2019}}</ref>

Chopra joined Middlesex on loan in July 2021, primarily to play in the Royal London Cup.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{cricketarchive|ref=Archive/Players/64/64420/64420.html}} * {{cricinfo|ref=ci/content/player/11770.html}} * [http://warwickshireccc.com/team/mens/varun-chopra/ Player Profile] at Warwickshire County Cricket Club

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chopra, Varun}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:People from Barking, London Category:Cricketers from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Category:English cricketers Category:Essex cricketers Category:Warwickshire cricketers Category:British Asian cricketers Category:Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Category:Sussex cricketers Category:English people of Indian descent Category:Sportspeople of Indian descent Category:21st-century English sportsmen