England all-rounder Ben Stokes has taken an indefinite break from all cricket with immediate effect to prioritise his mental well-being and continue his recovery from an injury to his left index finger, the country’s cricket board (ECB) said on Friday.

Stokes, 30, has withdrawn from England’s Test squad for the series against India and will be replaced by Craig Overton. The ECB said it fully supported his decision.

Positive cases

Yuzvendra Chahal and K. Gowtham on Friday tested positive for Covid-19 in Sri Lanka and have to stay back to isolate. The Indian contingent returned home in the afternoon by a chartered flight without five players — Krunal Pandya, Chahal and Gowtham, who all have tested positive, and Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav, who will fly to the UK from Colombo to join the Test squad on Sunday.