Michael-Kyle Steven Pepper, born in Harlow, Essex, signed his first professional contract with the Club in 2017 following a string of impressive performances for the Second XI.
The wicketkeeper-batter made his first-class debut against Somerset at Chelmsford on 25 June 2018, scoring a total of 23 runs from 48 balls while batting at numbers four and three.
Since then, and as of the end of the 2025 season, Pepper has featured in 39 first-class matches for Essex, accumulating 1,762 runs at an average of 33.24. His highest score of 140 from just 154 balls came against Hampshire at Chelmsford during the 2025 season.
Pepper has also become a key figure in Essex’s T20 side. In 76 appearances in the short format (from 2025) the right-hander has scored 2,109 runs at a healthy average of 31.95. His T20 career-best, an unbeaten 120 from 53 balls, was a heroic innings that secured an improbable victory over Sussex and earned him Performance of the Year at the 2024 Essex Cricket Awards.
Pepper’s stellar 2024 Blast campaign saw him finish third on the tournament’s run-scoring leaderboard, despite playing three or four fewer matches than many of his peers. His 535 runs at an average of 44.58 earned him a maiden England call-up in October and November 2024 for both the ODI and T20 squads. At the Essex Cricket End of Season Awards Gala, Michael collected a trio of awards which included: Performance of the Year, Players' Player of the Year and White-Ball Player of the Year. The 2024 season also saw Pepper named in the PCA Team of the Year.
During the lunch break on Day One of Warwickshire at home in 2025, Michael Pepper was awarded his County Cap, to become the 171st player to receive this prestigious honour.
