England all-rounder Jamie Overton has taken an 'indefinite break' from Test cricket after featuring for the side against India in the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Overton, who has so far played just two Tests for the Three Lions, has stated that he would be focusing on white-ball cricket in the future as he cannot fully commit his body for all the three formats.
Overton had made his debut for England against New Zealand in 2022 and had impressed with the bat, playing an important knock of 97 runs in the first innings. He was expected to be a part of the side's Test set-up for the next assignments, however multiple back stress fractures have made it incredibly difficult for him to feature in the format often.
“After a great deal of thought, I have decided to take an indefinite break from red-ball cricket. I feel very fortunate to have played 99 first-class matches, including two Test matches for England," Overton said in a statement.
“However, at this stage of my career, with the demands of cricket across a 12-month calendar, it’s no longer possible to commit fully to all formats at every level, both physically and mentally. Going forward, my focus will be on white-ball cricket and I will continue to give everything to play at the highest level for as long as I can," he added.
England's director of cricket Rob Key expressed his disappointment over Overton's decision and remarked that the 31-year-old was in the side's plans for red-ball assignments in the coming future. The all-rounder is now all set to miss the crucial Ashes series against Australia which will commence from November 19.
ALSO READ: Massive blow for Australia, Pat Cummins likely to miss ODI series against India
“Jamie’s news came unexpected and it is sad to see, as he would have been part of our red-ball plans for the foreseeable future. That said, it serves as a reminder of the cricketing landscape we now operate in. We respect his decision and are grateful to him for informing us when he did," Key stated.
Overton likely to be in action against South Africa
Other than his two appearances in Tests, Overton has featured for England in six ODIs and 12 T20Is. He has been picked in England's squad for the upcoming white-ball series against South Africa that will consist of three ODIs and T20Is each. The one-day assignment will commence first on September 2 while the T20Is will begin from September 10.