Harry Brook flies back home ahead of five-match Test series vs India

Ahead of the upcoming India vs England five-match Test series beginning from January 25 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium Hyderabad, the England camp has got a major setback as their star batter Harry Brook has flown back home. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) informed that the 24-year-old has returned home due to personal reasons and will not be returning to India.

The Brook family has requested privacy during this time and the ECB has also urged the media and public to not intrude on their private space. Dan Lawrence has been announced as Brook’s replacement in the squad. Notably, Brook has taken the cricketing fraternity by storm ever since his Test debut against South Africa in September 2022.

The Yorkshire-born batter has scored 1181 runs from 20 innings at an average of 62.15 with four hundred and seven fifties at a brilliant strike rate of 91.76. He further had a good time with the bat during Ashes 2023 scoring 363 runs from nine innings at an average of 40.33 with four fifties to his name.

The right-handed batter played a brilliant knock of 75 (93) in the fourth innings of the third Test in Leeds helping England chase down 251 to register their first win of the series. He further bailed his side out of trouble during the first innings of the fifth Test at the Oval with his innings of 85 (91) and helped them reach 283. Hence, he will be a big miss for England in the upcoming series.

England were the last team to beat India at home in 2012

Meanwhile, England will have a herculean task of beating India in India who’ve lost just three Tests at their home since 2013. Notably, England was the last team to beat India in a Test series on their home soil in 2012 under the leadership of Alastair Cook. Ben Stokes and his men will be eager to take some inspiration from their seniors and script a historic win in the upcoming with crucial World Test Championship points at stake.