Snubbed By England, Zak Crawley Steps Away From Cricket

Zak Crawley Steps Away From Cricket (Source: AFP Photos)In a stunning development, England’s very own Zak Crawley on Thursday pressed the pause button on cricket. The decision came after Crawley’s recent snub from England’s Test squad, a decision taken by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).Crawley, now aged 28, was England’s third-highest run-scorer during the last Ashes series, after Harry Brook and Joe Root. Yet, due to a poor run of form for some time, the ECB decided to drop the English opener. In his place, England gave Emilio Gay a Test cap.Zak Crawley Takes Break From Cricket To 'Recharge'Crawley was recently in action during England’s domestic competition T20 Blast, where he plays for Kent. However, he will not be seen during Kent’s next two domestic matches in County Championship Division Two, citing he will ‘recharge’ himself for the future.Before taking the break, Crawley's scores for Kent read 21, 0, 2 and 7 in T20 Blast.The decision has been made after mutual agreement between the ECB and Crawley’s camp."After discussions between Zak Crawley, the player group, coaching staff & the ECB, Crawley will be rested for the next two County Championship fixtures," Kent said in a statement.Also Read: List Of England Captains Who Have Faced ECB Sanctions For Off-Field Controversies"This period will allow him to recharge so he can fully commit and give his all for the remainder of the season, with his immediate focus shifting to T20 cricket through to the end of the Vitality Blast."This meant Crawley would return to the field when Kent next play Nottinghamshire in the T20 Blast on June 26.Crawley To Be Named Kavya Maran's Sunrisers Leeds CaptainEven though Sunrisers Leeds, a franchise owned by SRH’s Kavya Maran in The Hundred, will have Harry Brook for the upcoming season, it will, as reported by ESPNCricinfo, be led by Zak Crawley.The decision has been taken after the discussion with Brook, who does not want to take the leadership position when it begins.Not to forget, Brook, England’s white-ball captain, is the highest-paid player in The Hundred, earning around £465,000 as a direct-signed retained player. In INR, his The Hundred salary is approximately INR 5.26-5.65 crore.The Hundred 2026 will get underway on July 21 and run until August 16. Sunrisers Leeds will kick off the proceedings, playing the competition’s opener against MI London.Zak Crawley's Stats For EnglandCrawley’s average dipped to 31.18, with 3586 runs across 117 Test innings. He enjoyed his best year in Test cricket in 2020, with 580 runs under his belt in 11 innings at an average of 52.72.He was equally good in 2023, having aggregated 606 runs in 15 innings at 43.28. With Bazball going strong, Crawley’s strike rate throughout the calendar year read 88.46.Crawley’s favourite opposition in Test cricket was Pakistan. He averages 53.38, tallying 694 runs in 13 innings with a strike rate of 74.46.Also Read: Revealed: Why England Snubbed Harry Brook For Test Captaincy Role