Cricket-England's Root puts family before IPL riches

Jan 17 ( Reuters) - England batsman Joe Root will not be available to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League ( IPL) this year as he is eager to spend time at home with his newborn son, the 26-year-old has said.

One of the most sought-after batsmen of his era, Root has been reportedly been contacted by several franchises of the Twenty20 league beginning on Apr. 5.

"It is a shame because there is a really good window in the international calendar to play. But looking at the schedule, especially next winter, I am going to be away for long periods," Root told British media.

"This will be a great opportunity to spend time at home and watch (son) Alfred grow up a little bit. A lot of great things would come from the IPL, a lot of great experiences and I am sure it would help to improve my game.

"But at the moment being at home is my priority and I want to make sure I do not miss out on that. It is quite tough being away in these early days so it will be nice to catch up."

Root made 78 in England's three-wicket loss in Sunday's first one-dayer against India. Cuttack hosts the second and penultimate match of the series on Thursday. (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)