And following the confirmation of his deal with Zimbabwe, Ballance said that he would be returning to the game with "a new-found passion and excitement", having not played for Yorkshire since the end of the 2021 season, during which time he had been supported by the club during a mental-health break.

"I'm thrilled to be joining Zimbabwe Cricket and can't wait to start work with some great coaches and talented players," Ballance said. "The opportunity to represent Zimbabwe has given me a new-found passion and excitement for the game.

"I have kept in touch with a number of people within Zimbabwe cricket over the years and it has been great to watch their recent progress especially."

"On a personal level, I have gone through a challenging period. After much discussion I decided, together with my family, that it would be right to make a change"

Born in Harare but educated at Harrow School in England, Ballance starred for Zimbabwe at the Under-19 World Cup in 2006 while still a schoolboy at Peterhouse Boys School in Marondera. He went on to feature regularly for England between 2014 and 2017, scoring four centuries at an average of 37.45 that compared favourably with many of the team's other middle-order selections in that period.

"We are elated to have Gary, an immensely talented and experienced cricketer, back home where it all started for him […] we are looking forward to him making a massive difference for us"

"On a personal level, I have gone through a challenging period," Ballance said. "After much discussion I decided, together with my family, that it would be right to make a change. The support Yorkshire has given me off the pitch over the past year has been fantastic and I am appreciative of the club's help, but I hope that my decision will mean that my career can have a fresh start."

"We are elated to have Gary, an immensely talented and experienced cricketer, back home where it all started for him," Masakadza said. "He is a great addition to our domestic and international set-up and we are looking forward to him making a massive difference for us."