Harry Brook, a prolific hitter for England, will be absent from the upcoming Test series against India for personal reasons. On Sunday, January 21, the ECB announced on its social media platforms that the 24-year-old will be returning to the UK after training in Abu Dhabi, where the touring team has been preparing for the highly anticipated series.
Dan Lawrence has been designated as Brook’s replacement. In a day, the cricket player from Surrey is expected to join the team. In advance of the first Test, which begins in Hyderabad on January 25, the Ben Stokes-led team arrives in India on Sunday.
Harry Brook will be leaving the England Men’s Test tour of India with immediate effect due to personal circumstances. He’s not going back to India,” the ECB said in a release. “During this time, the Brook family kindly begs for privacy. Given this, the family and the ECB respectfully ask that the public and media respect their right to privacy and abstain from invading their personal space.”
Given that no visiting team has won a Test series in India in the last 12 years, the news is a serious setback for England’s chances there. Over the past 18 months, Brook has emerged as one of England’s Test cricket’s rising talents. In 12 Test matches, he has averaged 62.16 and amassed 1181 runs at a strike rate of 91.76, with four hundreds to his credit.
During England’s tour of Pakistan in late 2022, he excelled very well, winning Player of the Series honors for his 468 runs at an average of 93.60 from five innings.