Monty Panesar will attempt to play domestic cricket abroad this winter before joining a county side next year, after Essex confirmed that the spin bowler will be released from their books at the end of the current campaign.

Panesar has spent the last two seasons at Essex following a loan move from Sussex in 2013, but had to take personal time away from the club earlier this year.

Neil Burns, the former Somerset wicketkeeper who is a friend of Panesar, told The Guardian: "Monty is very disappointed to be leaving Essex. He enjoyed playing for them. He is going to take some time now to reflect on his career but the priority remains his well-being, with cricket coming second.

"He will look to play some overseas cricket this winter and hopefully the correct opportunity unfolds that can help support his ongoing development, so by April we will have confirmation that he is back to his best. And I still feel his best years could be ahead of him.

"Some of the work he has done this summer has highlighted his ambition to have another crack at the highest level. His appetite is still strong and he will continue. He is one of the few world-class spinners in the game and we have to do all we can to nurture these specialist skills."

The spin bowler, 33, was once considered the sixth-best bowler in the world, but problems off the pitch have hindered him in past years.