India v England: Harry Brook to return home from tour for personal reasons

Harry Brook was named England’s best overall cricketer of 2023 by the Cricket Writers’ Club

Yorkshire batter Harry Brook is to fly home from England’s tour of India for personal reasons.

Brook, 24, was expected to be in England’s XI for the opening Test in Hyderabad on Thursday but has left the squad with immediate effect.

Surrey’s Dan Lawrence has been named as his replacement but Brook could return later in the five-match series.

“The Brook family respectfully requests privacy during this time,” the England and Wales Cricket Board said.

Due to the length of the tour, England, who are currently travelling from Abu Dhabi to Hyderabad, will leave India between the second Test (Vizag, 2-6 February) and the third (Rajkot, 15-19 February).

The fourth Test will take place in Ranchi from 23-27 February with the final Test of the series in Dharamsala from 7 March.

Brook was one of only three players in the Test squad who also featured for England in the ODI and T20 series in the West Indies, along with Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson.

He has made four centuries in his 12 Test matches for England, including three in the historic series victory in Pakistan in 2022.

Lawrence, who is expected to arrive in India on Monday or Tuesday, will provide direct cover for Brook in England’s middle order.

He played the last of his 11 Tests in 2022, with his highest score of 91 coming against the West Indies in Bridgetown in March 2022.

The 26-year-old has not featured during the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era, but was in the squad during the Ashes as batting cover.

Updated England squad for India tour: Ben Stokes (capt), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.

Analysis

By chief cricket writer Stephan Shemilt

Firstly, this is a huge blow for Harry Brook. For any player to leave a tour in such circumstances suggests a serious situation for him and his family.

Despite initially saying Brook will miss the entire series, England have now clarified he could return. The tour lasts until March and England will leave India for Dubai between the second and third Tests.

For England, it is clearly disruptive to their preparations, especially given the form Brook has been in since he first broke into the side.

But, perversely, it could also help to make the balance of the side clearer, just as the injury to Ollie Pope led to Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes balancing England’s XI during the Ashes.

Now, if they want six batters, a keeper and four bowlers, there is room for both Pope and Ben Foakes to return.

If they only want five specialist batters in order to play the extra bowler then a ticklish decision, possibly leading to vice-captain Pope being left out, can be avoided.