South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder has left the Essex squad and will return home, citing personal reasons. The 31-year-old will therefore miss the Rothesay County Championship game against Warwickshire, which commences on Friday, April 17.

In the official statement put out by the county, there is still no news surrounding when the South African international will make a return to Chelmsford. 

"Essex Cricket can confirm that Wiaan Mulder has returned home temporarily for personal reasons. The club is fully supportive of Wiaan's decision to return home to South Africa and an update on his return to the club will be announced in due course. Wiaan will therefore miss the next round of the Rothesay County Championship against Warwickshire at Edgbaston,” the Essex statement read.

Mulder joined Essex on a three-month contract, which would have seen him play in six County Championship games and as many matches in the Vitality Blast. However, that number will surely decrease, at least in the four-day competition.

Capped 24 times by the Proteas in Test matches, Mulder has featured for Essex in both of their opening two matches of the new County Championship season. In their first game of the season, Essex secured a win over Hampshire, with Mulder contributing 17 runs and taking just one wicket across two innings. In the next game against Somerset, he scored a duck and 31 runs across both innings and went wicketless.

With a win and a defeat under their belt, Essex currently find themselves fourth in the Division One standings, having accumulated 25 points from their first two matches. 

It is worth mentioning that Mulder is not the only high-profile player that Essexare currently missing. The Chelmsford-based outfit are also missing their star wicketkeeper-batter Jordan Cox, who is currently part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad in the Indian Premier League. He is yet to play a game for the defending champions this season, along with international teammate Jacob Bethell.