England star Harry Brook has decided to opt out of England's five-match Test tour of India due to personal reasons. Brook will thus not be available for selection in any of the five Test matches against India, the first of which is scheduled to commence at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on January 25. England are all set to name a replacement for Brook in due course.
"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 England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in an official statement.
"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," it added.
It is pertinent to note that England were due to arrive on Sunday ahead of the Test series but after Brook's decision it is clear that he will not be with the England squad that touches down India on January 21.
Harry Brook's Absence Could Impact England's Chances In India
While England are eyeing to become the first Team that manages to beat India in a Test series in India in over a decade, they could miss the absence of Brook who has been a prolific run-scorer for them ever since he has made his debut. The right-handed batter averages 62.15 at a strike rate of 91.76 from 12 Tests, a short career that has already seen himm score four hundreds.
The Three Lions could be tempted to give Jonny Bairstow a stint as a specialist batter in the middle-order with Ben Foakes their preferred gloveman in what are expected to be challenging conditions to keep wickets especially against spin during the course of the five-match series.