Harry Brook has pulled out of England’s tour to India dealing the side a big blow just days before the five-Test series starts in Hyderabad on Thursday. It was announced on Sunday morning that the Yorkshire batsman is to leave the tour for personal reasons and although the official statement said he will not return, England have privately not ruled out him rejoining what is a long trip at some point.
They have called up Surrey’s Dan Lawrence, the spare batsman throughout last summer’s Ashes series, to replace Brook. Lawrence is playing in the ILT20 in Dubai and will fly to India to join the squad after a game on Sunday.
Brook’s absence opens the door for Ollie Pope to return to the side without having to choose between their wicketkeepers Ben Foakes and Jonny Bairstow. It now seems certain that Foakes will keep wicket in the first Test, with Bairstow moving up to No 5.
That leaves England needing to work out the make-up of their bowling attack when they see the Hyderabad surface this week. They are likely to select two of their four seamers and two of the four spinners, plus Joe Root.
