Harry Brook drops out of India Test series due to personal reasons

ECB released a statement to announce Brook's absence which read, "Harry Brook is set to return home with immediate effect for personal reasons from the England Men's Test tour of India. He will not be returning to India. The England selectors will confirm a replacement player for the tour in due course."

Brook has been a crucial figure for the Three Lions as, since his Test debut in September 2022, nobody has played as many matches for England as Brook, with a total of 45.

This time Ben Stokes will lead a new-look England Test team for the series. The first Test of the series will be played in Hyderabad from January 25 while the fifth and final Test will be held in Dharamshala and the series will conclude on March 11.

Hartley and Bashir were both part of the England Lions squad that trained in the United Arab Emirates last month. They were joined in the UAE by vice-captain Ollie Pope and Jack Leach to step up their preparations as they returned to Test duty following injury.

Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed returns to the Test squad after claiming a five-wicket haul on his Test debut in Pakistan last December.T

The absence of Chris Woakes, Liam Dawson, and Will Jacks was significant. In India, James Anderson will lead the pace assault, with uncapped Gus Atkinson promoted from the limited-overs squad. The other pacers in the squad are Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson.

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Ben Foakes was called up after being left out of the Ashes squad earlier this year. Jonny Bairstow is the team's other wicketkeeper. Ollie Pope and Leach are also back from injury.

England Test squad: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root and Mark Wood. (ANI)