England confirm Harry Brook's replacement for India Tests

England's preparations for the five-Test series in India were thrown into disarray on Sunday (January 21) with the announcement that Harry Brook would miss at least a portion of the series and return home "with immediate effect for personal reasons", the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement on Sunday.

"The Brook family respectfully requests privacy during this time," the ECB said.

"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."

Meanwhile, England have summoned Dan Lawrence as a replacement for Brook.

An initial statement from the ECB had indicated that Brook would be absent for the entire series, but this detail was later removed from the ECB website.

There remains a possibility that Brook, who is returning home for personal reasons, may rejoin the team for the later stages of the tour.

This is a significant setback for England, as Brook has been a standout performer since making his Test debut in September 2022. No English batter has reached 1,000 Test runs in fewer innings than Brook since World War II.

After 12 Tests, the right-hander boasts an average of over 60, with four centuries and seven other fifty-plus scores. He is also arguably the most aggressive of England's formidable top seven, striking at over 90 in Test cricket since his debut against South Africa at The Oval.

Lawrence has not represented England since Joe Root's final Test as captain in March 2022 against West Indies in Grenada. However, Lawrence was a regular presence in squads throughout the 2023 summer without getting a game.

Lawrence has played 11 Tests to date and participated in three of the four Tests England played in India during their previous tour in 2021. The Surrey batsman started the series at No. 3, failing to surpass 30 in any of his first four innings before losing his place for the third Test at Ahmedabad. He was then recalled for the series finale, where he scored 96 runs across both innings from No.7 as England succumbed to an innings defeat.

His inclusion in the squad potentially provides England with more flexibility in terms of selection. With Ben Stokes unable to bowl, England lack genuine all-round options.

Schedule for India vs England Test series 2024

1st Test: January 25-29 (Thursday-Monday) - Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad

2nd Test: February 2-6 (Friday-Tuesday) - Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam,

3rd Test: February 15-19 (Thursday-Monday) - Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot

4th Test: February 23-27 (Friday-Tuesday) - JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi

5th Test: March 7-11 (Thursday-Monday) - Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala