London [UK], September 1 (ANI): England's bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton has announced that he will be taking an indefinite break from the red-ball format.

Overton, who has featured in two Test matches for England, also has 99 First-Class appearances to his name. His previous outing for England had come during the series decider against India in the five-Test series at home.

The 31-year-old's decision to step away from the red-ball format comes ahead of England's much-anticipated tour of Australia later this year. The two arch-rivals are set to lock horns in a five-match ICC World Test Championship series Down Under starting November 21 in Perth.

Overton said, '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,' as per the ECB official website.

'Red-ball, first-class cricket has provided the foundation for my professional career and has been the gateway to every opportunity I've had in the game so far. It's where I learnt the game, and it fuelled the goals and ambitions that have driven me for so long,' he added.

'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,' Overton said.

England Men's Director of Cricket, Rob Key, said, 'Jamie's news came as a surprise 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 said. (ANI)