India vs England: Joe Root likely to miss start of ODI series

New Delhi: England are likely to miss the services of mercurial Joe Root when the limited overs' series against India starts on January 15.

According to reports, the 26-year-old batsman has pledged not to travel until his partner Carrie Cotterell has given birth.

They got engaged last March before the start of the 2016 ICC World Twenty20.

England are scheduled to return to India on Thursday for the second leg of the tour. The England team is currently on festive break.

The Mail reported, citing an ECB spokesman, that Root is not expected to be amongst the traveling party as things stand.

Root has emerged as the batting mainstay of England team in all formats of the game. In the Test series, which they lost 0-4, he scored 491 runs which included a century.

England will play three ODIs and three T20s in India.