IND vs ENG: Harry Brook's absence a blow for England but his well-being is important, says Nasser Hussain

IND vs ENG: Harry Brook’s absence a blow for England but his well-being is important, says Nasser Hussain

Former England cricket team skipper Nasser Hussain said that the English have been dealt a big blow with all-rounder Harry Brook opting out of the upcoming five-match Test series for personal reasons. Hussain also emphasised the paramount importance of prioritising the welfare of the player and his family above all else.

“Yeah, it’s a big miss. But the first consideration has to be the individual, the duty of care of that individual. We all must wish Harry and his family well.” Nasser Hussain said to Sky Sports about Harry Brook’s absence.

England had to make a last-minute change to their lineup due to Brook’s decision to opt out. They replaced him with middle-order batter Dan Lawrence, who had earlier featured in their 2021 Test series against India. While praising Brook’s impressive statistics since his Test debut at the Oval against South Africa in September 2022, Hussain also stressed the importance of people understanding the concerns that led to Brook’s decision.

“Test cricket is important, but your family and yourself are more important. For personal reasons, he has headed home. Hopefully, everything will be okay,” Hussain said.

The 24-year-old Yorkshire cricketer has been a pivotal player in the current England Test side, with 1181 runs in his 12 Tests, at an average of 61, which includes four centuries and seven fifties. The player was also one of England’s notable performers during their dominating display against Pakistan in 2022, bagging 468 runs in his five innings.

Hussain also talked about Brook’s replacement, Dan Lawrence, who he believes to be a like-for-like change to the squad. Hussain highlighted Lawrence’s performance in franchise cricket and during the 2021 India Tests, hailing the 26-year-old London-born cricketer to be a “seriously good cricketer”.

“They like Lawrence, he offers a bit of spin as well. It’s a blow for the lads who are with the Lions, but they are for the reason. But Dan Lawrence is a seriously good cricketer,” Hussain further said.

However, Hussain also offered insights and expressed a preference for England Lions skipper Josh Bohannon and Keaton Jennings. He believed these two players could have been other potential choices as replacements for Brook in the England team. He believes that the reason England went with Lawrence is the player’s ability as a spin bowler.

“The other way of going about it would be to look at guys who are already out there with the England Lions. Josh Bahannon in the middle-order. The Lancashire player has been impressive. I am a big fan of Keaton Jennings, both as a batter and also as a catcher around the bat.” Hussain added.

England will play India in the first Test match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday, January 25.

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