Tag: Harry Brook

England ace batter Harry Brook has warned India that his team “don’t always have to be nice” as they prepare to resume hostilities at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

After England battled to a fiery 22-run victory in the third Test at Lord’s, the teams will lock horns again with the series on the line in Manchester.

England on Monday named just one change to that side with Hampshire’s left-arm spinner Liam Dawson making his first Test appearance in eight years at the expense of the injured Shoaib Bashir, while Jofra Archer remains in an unchanged pace attack.

An England win would put them 3-1 up with one game to play, while India must take the last two matches to secure their first Test series triumph on English soil since 2007.

It promises to be another fiercely-fought encounter after India’s fielders clashed with England batsmen Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett in a time-wasting row at Lord’s.

That lit a fire under England when it was their turn to field, with Archer giving a pumped-up send-off to India’s Rishabh Pant.

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As the tension mounted in England’s 22-run win, Brydon Carse and India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja were involved in a mid-pitch collision.

But Harry Brook is adamant Ben Stokes’ side did not go to far with their spikey approach in pursuit of victory.

“I’ve had a lot of compliments. Everybody said it was awesome to watch. It was good fun, I have to admit. It was tiring but it made fielding a lot more enjoyable,” he said on Monday.

“I think it put them under a little bit more pressure. The opportunity that arose for us to not be the nice guys was because of what they did. We just thought ‘we’re not standing for that’.

“We had a conversation and said ‘it’s time to not be those nice guys that we have been before’. You don’t always have to be nice. Who knows, that might have played into our favour. It was good fun.

“We were doing it within the spirit of the game. We weren’t going out there effing and jeffing at them and being nasty people. We were just going about it in the right manner.”

READ: Heartbroken Siraj opens up on India’s narrow loss in Lord’s Test

England white-ball captain Harry Brook is geared up for the challenging  role of captaincy ahead of the series against the West Indies.

Brook took over the reins from Jos Butler, who stepped down as England captain after a dismal Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

Harry Brook’s first major assignment will be the ODI and T20I series against the West Indies, which begins on 29 May at Birmingham.

While speaking to the UK news outlet, Harry Brook expressed optimism about England’s captaincy role.

“The captaincy is going to be a challenge for me but it’s something I’ve got to take in my stride. I’ll need to come up with a plan but I’m okay with that, I like challenges,” he said.

The explosive batter emphasised the vice-captain role, mentioning the England team’s young talent. With Brook as a first-choice player in all three formats and upcoming Test assignments against India and Australia, England will need a deputy to help manage his workload.

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“I think there will be a vice-captain in place soon. We haven’t come to a conclusion on who that will be yet. There’s a few names in the hat,” Harry Brook added.

“I’ll have a few conversations with Baz (head coach Brendon McCullum) and see what he thinks.

There’s so many experienced people who can help already, the likes of Joe Root and Jos, but so much young talent coming in too that can lead from the front. There’s so many to pick from,” Brook observed.

England will begin their international season at Trent Bridge on Thursday, with a one-off historic first Test against Zimbabwe, marking their first in 22 years on English soil.

“We can’t take our eyes off the ball but we want to go out there and win well, like we want to go and do in every game we play,” Harry Brook urged England team not to take Zimbabve easy.

The 26-year-old praised Zimbabwe for their Test victory against Bangladesh earlier this year, while stating that visitors will come hard on England.

“I’m sure they are going to come out all guns blazing. They beat Bangladesh recently (a first Test victory in four years) and they’ll be feeling good about that so I’m guessing they are going to come hard at us,” Harry Brook concluded.

READ: Bangladesh add one more T20I to UAE series ahead of Pakistan tour

Harry Brook has been named as new England Men’s White-Ball team captain, England and Wales Cricket Board(ECB) announced on Monday.

Brook succeeds Jos Buttler, who stepped down from the role following England’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy last month in Pakistan.

The right-handed explosive batter has been a key part of England’s white-ball set-up since making his debut in January 2022 and is widely regarded as one of the country’s most talented batters across formats.

Brook, who has spent the past year as vice-captain in both ODI and T20I formats, is at number two spot in the ICC world batting rankings in Test cricket.

The right-hander explosive batter led the team in the Metro Bank ODI series against Australia last September in Buttler’s absence, earning praise for his tactical awareness and calm leadership.

A former Young Lions captain, Brook also skippered England at the 2018 ICC Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.

Brook has played 26 ODIs for England, scoring 816 runs at an average of 34.00, with a top score of 110.

In T20Is, he has earned 44 caps and the highest score of 81. He was also part of the team that won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2022.

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Following the announcement, Harry Brook expressed gratitude for being entrusted with this role.

“It’s a real honour to be named England’s white-ball captain. Ever since I was a kid playing cricket at Burley in Wharfedale, I dreamed of representing Yorkshire, playing for England, and maybe one day leading the team. To now be given that chance means a great deal to me.” he said.

“I want to thank my family and coaches who’ve supported me every step of the way. Their belief in me has made all the difference and I wouldn’t be in this position without them, ” he added.

Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, expressed his excitement after Brook accepted the captaincy.

“I’m delighted that Harry Brook has accepted the role as England’s white-ball captain across both formats. He’s been part of our succession planning for some time, albeit this opportunity has come slightly earlier than expected, ”  he said.

“Harry is not only an outstanding cricketer, but also has an excellent cricketing brain and a clear vision for both teams that will help drive us towards winning more series, World Cups and major global tournaments, ” concluded Key.

England Men begin their 2025 white-ball campaign at the end of May with a home series against the West Indies, featuring three Metro Bank One-Day Internationals and three Vitality IT20s.

READ: Pakistan faces third consecutive fine for slow-over rate against New Zealand

England star batter Harry Brook, on Monday, pulled out of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), saying he needed “to recharge” and focus on international cricket.

The 26-year-old, who is regarded as a front-runner to replace Jos Buttler as England white-ball captain, was signed to Delhi Capitals for the new IPL season beginning later this month.

“I have made the very difficult decision to pull out of the upcoming IPL,” Brook posted on his social media. “I apologise unreservedly to the Delhi Capitals and their supporters.”

Free-scoring batsman Brook also withdrew from his contract with the Delhi side last season after the death of his grandmother.

He now faces a possible two-year suspension under rules designed to prevent late pullouts from the money-spinning T20 league by overseas players. Exceptions can be made, mostly for injuries.

“I love cricket. Ever since I was a young boy, I have dreamt of playing for my country, and I am extremely thankful to have the opportunity to play the game I love at this level,” Brook added.

England are set to play five Tests against India from June during their home summer this year, followed by an Ashes tour to Australia starting in November.

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Either side of the India Tests, England host white-ball series against each of the West Indies, South Africa and Ireland plus a one-off Test against Zimbabwe in May.

“It is a really important time for England cricket, and I want to fully commit to preparing for the upcoming series,” he further stated. “In order to do this, I need time to recharge after the busiest period in my career to date.”

Buttler resigned as white-ball captain after England’s dismal group-stage exit at the Champions Trophy, where they failed to win a match.

“I know not everyone will understand, and I don’t expect them to, but I have to do what I believe is right, and playing for my country remains my priority and focus, said Brook.

“I remain hugely grateful for the opportunities I have been given and the support I receive.”

Harry Brook played one previous season in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2023, when he scored a 55-ball century against Kolkata Knight Riders.

The 2025 IPL begins on March 22, when defending champions Kolkata host Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens.

READ: Shoaib Akhtar reacts to PCB’s absence from Champions Trophy presentation ceremony

Former England captain and renowned commentator Nasser Hussain has thrown his support behind Harry Brook to replace Jos Buttler as the country’s new white-ball captain after the disastrous ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

Buttler, who led England to ICC T20 World Cup glory in 2022, has now endured three disappointing major tournaments as captain.

Following England’s early exit from the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, the 34-year-old officially stepped down as captain, leaving England in search of a new leader.

Nasser Hussain, in his column for the Daily Mail, backed Brook as the best available option, citing England’s limited captaincy choices due to the lack of domestic 50-over cricket.

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“Harry Brook would be my choice as England’s next limited-overs captain now it’s clearly time to move on from Jos Buttler,” he wrote.

“If you’re having to think about being England captain, as Buttler said he would be after Champions Trophy elimination earlier this week, you probably know you’re done.”

However, while advocating for Brook, Hussain also pointed out the challenges of appointing him, especially with England’s packed Test calendar, which includes a home series against India and the Ashes.

“There would be issues with appointing Brook. In such an important year, do you really want to pass on all the burdens of leading a struggling side to a young man and make his life more difficult? England are trying to play a lot of their Test players in white-ball cricket, but do they want their captain to be part of that as well?” he questioned.

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Harry Brook has been Buttler’s deputy since January but has struggled to balance his role, managing just one half-century in his last 10 white-ball games.

Despite this, Nasser Hussain recalled Brook’s previous leadership experiences and praised his ability to handle dual responsibilities.

“I enjoyed watching him captain last year, whether it be in the Hundred or against Australia, when he scored a hundred in one of the games – which suggested he was quite happy balancing the two roles,” he added.

“But you’ve still got to be careful. You don’t want to weigh down a very talented young player with it all.”

READ: Former Pakistan captain calls for complete overhaul after Champions Trophy exit

MULTAN: England batter Harry Brook scored a triple century and became the sixth player from the country to reach the landmark during the ongoing first Test against Pakistan here on Thursday.

Brook hit Saim Ayub for a boundary to reach the milestone in style, joining legends like Leonard Hutton and Graham Gooch. He took 310 balls to complete his triple century, which featured 28 fours and three sixes.

It’s worth noting that before Brook, Gooch was the last English batter to score 300 in a Test match back in 1990 against India at Lord’s. He played a marathon 333-run knock with the help of 46 boundaries, including three sixes.

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Triple Hundreds For England

• Andrew Sandham vs West Indies (1930)
• Walter Hammond vs New Zealand (1933)
• Leonard Hutton vs Australia (1938)
• John Edrich vs New Zealand (1965)
• Graham Gooch vs India (1990)
• Harry Brook vs Pakistan (2024)

Brook’s marathon knock finished at 317 runs from 322 balls with the help of 29 boundaries and four sixes with the scoreboard reading 797-6.

Meanwhile, Pakistan had piled up 556 runs in their first innings courtesy of centuries from Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique and Salman Ali Agha.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmad.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.

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England captain Harry Brook insisted he was always confident of coming good after starring in a 186-run rout of Australia at Lord’s on Friday that set up a one-day international series decider with the world champions.

Brook, leading England in the absence of the injured Jos Buttler, followed his match-winning and maiden ODI hundred at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday with a superb 87 from 58 balls at Lord’s.

In a match reduced by rain to 39 overs per side, the big-hitting Liam Livingstone added late impetus with a whirlwind 62 not out from just 27 balls as England posted an imposing total of 312-5.

Australia, following a promising start to their reply, collapsed to 126 all out inside 25 overs as England levelled the five-match series at 2-2 ahead of Sunday’s finale at Bristol.

Harry Brook came under fire from former England captains Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook for the way he succumbed to frustration while being dismissed in this month’s third Test loss to Sri Lanka at the Oval.

But in an ODI format which is unfamiliar to many members of a new-look England side, the 25-year-old produced his second superbly-paced innings of the week.

“It felt like only a matter of time for me,” Brook told reporters.

“I feel like I’ve been playing well all summer, everything just needed to click. The last couple of games for me have been really special.”

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England opener Ben Duckett survived an awkward opening spell from Mitchell Starc to make 63 before Livingstone smashed seven sixes, including four in an astounding last over from the left-arm fast bowler that cost 28 runs.

“He was striking it unbelievably well,” Brook said of Livingstone. “We all know what he’s capable of doing at the back end (of an innings).”

Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh put on 68 in the first nine overs of Australia’s reply before the innings subsided as Brydon Carse (3-36) and Jofra Archer (2-33) did the bulk of the early damage in helpful conditions under the floodlights.

Archer, plagued by injury since starring in England’s triumphant 2019 World Cup campaign, touched speeds of 93 mph (150 km/h), with fellow paceman Matthew Potts rounding off the home side’s fine all-round display with an ODI best 4-38.

And express quick Archer also struck Marnus Labuschagne a nasty blow on the elbow.

“It was phenomenal to watch,” Brook said. “We knew the seamers were getting the most out the pitch so I just tried to bowl them as many overs as possible.”

Australia, without Cameron Green after the all-rounder suffered a tour-ending back injury, had few answers as skipper Marsh admitted.

“Fair play to England, they put us under a lot of pressure with the bat,” Marsh told Sky Sports.

“We couldn’t get early wickets and they thoroughly out-played us today. Liam Livingstone played a gem of an innings.”

He added: “England bowled really well. We lost wickets continually and that’s cricket.”

READ: PCB chief instructs formation of committees for Champions Trophy 2025

CHESTER-LE-STREET: Harry Brook said he felt a sense of relief after his maiden one-day international hundred paved the way for England to beat Australia in the third ODI of the three-match series here on Wednesday.

Following heavy defeats by world champions Australia at Trent Bridge and Headingley, England had to win at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday to keep the five-match series alive.

Harry Brook came in to bat with England struggling at 11-2 after Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc had removed both openers.

But the 25-year-old Yorkshireman responded with a superb 110 not out. He received excellent support from Will Jacks (84) in a match-changing stand of 156.

By the time rain curtailed England’s pursuit of a target of 305, they had long since done enough to win by 46 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

It was yet more evidence of Brook’s talent and temperament with the novice captain, leading England this series in place of the injured Jos Buttler, appearing in just his 18th ODI.

Harry Brook was simply pleased to be back in the runs.

“I’m relieved, for sure,” he told reporters. “It’s nice to get that first hundred on the board and hopefully there’s plenty more to come.”

“I feel like I’ve been a little bit stop-start this summer. I’ve had a lot of starts — 30s and 40s — and then not managed to convert, which is frustrating.

“To do that today, I feel like I’m back in a good place. Obviously it’s nice to score runs against Australia, but scoring runs is amazing, no matter who it is against.”

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Brook came under fire for his post-match comments following England’s defeat in the series opener in Nottingham when he tried to explain some loose dismissals by saying: “If you get caught somewhere on the boundary or in the field then who cares?”

But Harry Brook was adamant he had been misunderstood.

“I think people took that a little bit the wrong way,” he said. “You’ve got to go out and play fearlessly and almost have that ‘who cares?’ attitude but that’s not a ‘who cares if we lose?’ attitude. We all want to win, but you don’t want to go out and have that fear of getting out.

“You’ve seen it so many times in the Test environment, at the start Stokesy (England red-ball captain Ben Stokes) was getting out caught at mid-on which is unheard of before, so you’ve got to go out with that fearless attitude and try to take it to the bowlers.”

Australia coach Andrew McDonald was left to rue the absence of key spinner Adam Zampa, a late withdrawal through illness, as England ended his side’s run of 14 consecutive ODI wins.

McDonald had no doubt about Harry Brook’s quality, saying: “Full credit to Harry. He’s an impressive player and he’s going to have a long career for England.

“He’s going to give us some headaches over the journey. The way he played, the way he led today…sometimes you’ve got to take your hat off to the opposition. This is one of those moments.”

READ: Pakistan storm into SAFF U17 Championship semi-final

Harry Brook will lead England in the ODI series against Australia after regular white-ball captain Jos Buttler was ruled out.

Jos Buttler is currently nursing a right calf injury, which ruled him out of the ongoing T20I series against Australia, where Phil Salt is serving as the captain.

It’s worth noting that this will be Harry Brook’s first stint as the captain of England’s ODI team.

Meanwhile, pace bowler Josh Hull is also sidelined for the ODI series with a quad injury. All-rounder Liam Livingstone has been brought into the squad for the five-match series which begins as Trent Bridge on Thursday 19 September.

Previously, England also included Olly Stone in the squad as the replacement for Gus Atkinson, who has been given a rest from the ODI series against Australia.

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The right-arm pacer played a pivotal role in England’s 2-1 series victory over Sri Lanka, picking up 12 wickets at an average of 27.41.

He turned heads with his batting skills in the recently concluded series when he scored his maiden century in the second Test at Lord’s while batting at No.8.

Gus Atkinson was initially named in England’s ODI squad which marked the absence of key players like wicketkeeper batter Jonny Bairstow and experienced all-rounder Moeen Ali.

England ODI Squad for Australia series

Harry Brook (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Reece Topley, John Turner

ODI Series Schedule

1st ODI: Thursday 19 September 2024
2nd ODI: Saturday 21 September 2024
3rd ODI: Tuesday 24 September 2024
4th ODI: Friday 27 September 2024
5th ODI: Sunday 29 September 2024

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Harry Brook provided a much-anticipated update regarding the injury status of England Test captain Ben Stokes, stating it “doesn’t look good”.

Stokes suffered a hamstring injury during Sunday’s fixture of The Hundred between Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers.

His team Superchargers stormed to a resounding seven-wicket victory over the home side but the triumph was eclipsed by his gruelling injury, which resulted in him retiring out after managing to score just two runs.

Stokes, who bats as an opener for the Superchargers, sprinted for a quick single in the early phase of the run chase and suffered the injury after completing the run.

He was then carried off the field by the medical staff and looked in extreme discomfort.

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After his side’s triumph, Stokes was seen using crutches and the Superchargers affirmed that the star all-rounder may have suffered a hamstring issue, which puts his participation in England’s upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka in jeopardy.

“It doesn’t look great, unfortunately,” Ben Stokes’ England team-mate Harry Brook told Sky Sports.

“I think he’ll be getting a scan tomorrow and we’ll see how he is.”

Meanwhile, former England captain Michael Atherton, commentating on The Hundred 2024, said it appeared unlikely to him for Stokes to feature in the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.

“The way that he gripped the back of his leg looked like hamstring to me, which may well be a significant period out,” Atherton said.

“But it might not be a structural problem so fingers crossed it’s that and that it’s not as bad as it initially looked and that he can play some part in the Test series.

“But it looks extremely unlikely that he’ll be able to play here in ten days’ time.”

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