In a major update ahead of the India vs England Test series, English batter Harry Brook will miss the five-match series against India. Brook will travel back home and will be out from the complete series due to personal reasons, the England Cricket Board confirmed.
"Harry Brook will return to the UK and miss the India Test tour due to personal reasons. Our thoughts are with you at this time, Brooky," England Cricket wrote on social media. The ECB detailed Brook's absence in the statement further. The Board said that Brook will not return to India to take part in the series. It has requested the media and the public to refrain from disturbing Brook's private space.
"Harry Brook is set to return home with immediate effect for personal reasons from the England Men’s Test tour of India. He will not be returning to India. The Brook family respectfully requests privacy during this time. In light of this, the ECB and the family kindly request the media and the public to respect their wish for privacy and refrain from intruding on their private space. The England selectors will confirm a replacement player for the tour in due course," ECB wrote in a statement.
Meanwhile, all-rounder Dan Lawrence, who last played a Test match in March 2022, has been added to the Test squad. England are scheduled to reach India on Sunday ahead of the series that begins on January 25, Thursday. Brook was set to be a vital cog for the Three Lions in the middle order in the India series. His strike rate of 91.76 speaks a volume of the bazball approach that England play with. He has four centuries and seven half-centuries in 12 Test matches. Brook was part of the 2-2 Ashes draw and scored four knocks of over 50.
He recently participated in a white-ball tour of the West Indies. Brook crossed the half-century only once in eight white-ball games with his best - 71 coming in an ODI game. Apart from the seven-ball 31*, Brook had a quiet T20I series as well. The English side are bidding to become the first team since 2012 to beat India in a Test series at home. Interestingly they were the last touring side to defeat the Men in Blue at home. The upcoming India vs England series is set to start on January 25 in Hyderabad.
England Test squad:
Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes (wk), Dan Lawrence, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood
