Brook to lead Eng in ODI series against Aus

Jos Buttler ruled out due to a persistent calf injury

Harry Brook is set to lead England in the upcoming one-day international (ODI) series against Australia after Jos Buttler was ruled out due to a persistent calf injury. The news, confirmed by England's team management on Sunday, comes just days before the five-match series is scheduled to begin.

Buttler has not played competitively since England's semi-final loss to India in the T20 World Cup in June. A setback in his recovery forced him to miss the recent three-match T20 series against Australia, and he will now sit out the ODI series as well.

Brook, at just 25, has earned 15 caps in ODI cricket but is seen as a future leader for England. This will be his first time captaining the senior side, marking the third time this season that England has fielded a different captain in each format. Brook acknowledged his ongoing learning process in the format after last year's challenging World Cup campaign in India, where England struggled to defend their title.

England's leadership shuffle has been a consistent theme this season. Ollie Pope stepped in for Ben Stokes during the Test series against Sri Lanka, while Phil Salt led the T20 side in Buttler's absence.

The team has also seen changes in the bowling department. Young left-arm fast bowler Josh Hull, who debuted in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka, was expected to be part of the ODI squad but will miss the series due to a quad injury. Hull is set to rest ahead of England's upcoming tour of Pakistan.

In a boost for England, Liam Livingstone has been recalled to the squad following strong performances in the ongoing T20 series against Australia, which is tied 1-1 ahead of Sunday's decider in Manchester.

The first ODI between England and Australia is set to take place at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Thursday.

Ben Curran set to play for Zimbabwe

The Curran brothers have made a name for themselves in English cricket, but while Tom and Sam Curran have found success with Surrey and the England national team, their middle brother, Ben Curran, is forging a different path by returning to his roots in Zimbabwe.

Born to Zimbabwean cricket legend Kevin Curran, Ben and his brothers spent their early years in Rusape, Zimbabwe, before moving to England after their father's untimely death in 2012. While Tom and Sam's careers took off in England, Ben took a different route, playing for Northamptonshire before recently committing to Zimbabwe, where he is now eligible for national selection. At 28, Ben has made a strong impression in Zimbabwe's premier first-class competition, the Logan Cup, scoring 458 runs, including two half-centuries and a century.

With the possibility of Zimbabwe playing a one-off Test against England next year, Ben could potentially face off against one of his brothers on the international stage. "What a story it would be, right. We'll have to take that as it comes, if it were to happen, it would be probably pretty weird, special, mixed emotions all round," he said.