Harry Brook's international career has progressed so smoothly that even after averaging 30 in a series win, his approach came under scrutiny. Ahead of captaining England for the first time, Brook admitted that he’s been cautious not to overanalyze his game, especially after criticism during Sri Lanka's recent win at The Oval.
Brook scored 19 and 3 in the final Test of the season, following earlier scores between 32 and 56 in his first four innings of the series. While the numbers were less than expected, it was his visible frustration at Sri Lanka’s wide bowling that caught his attention. Michael Vaughan even remarked that Brook was "taking the mick out of the game."
This season has been long for Brook, who was the only England player to feature in both June’s T20 World Cup and all six home Tests. He also captained Northern Superchargers in The Hundred during a short break before England’s series against Sri Lanka, and he’s set to fly to Pakistan for another Test series just three days after the final ODI against Australia.
Ahead of his England captaincy debut, Brook appeared relaxed, smiling during his pre-match press conference. He admitted his Test summer hadn’t gone as planned but dismissed the idea that he was mentally drained from the intense season.
"Because I wasn't scoring as many runs as I wanted, I probably felt a bit tired," Brook said. "But if I’d scored two hundred against Sri Lanka, I’d have just carried on. I love playing cricket and want to play as much as possible. Breaks are important sometimes, but I was pretty relaxed."
Reflecting on his performances, he added, "I always want a hundred every innings, but it’s not easy. I batted well against West Indies but didn’t do as well against Sri Lanka. You reflect on it, come back stronger, and move forward."
Brook’s captaincy experience is limited, with most of it coming from his time leading England Under-19s. Despite only playing 50-over cricket sporadically—30 List A games, half of them ODIs—he is confident heading into the series against Australia, planning to bat at No. 4. "I’ll just go out, watch the ball closely, and play on instinct," he said.
Standing in for regular captain Jos Buttler, who’s recovering from a calf injury, Brook said, "I might pick his brains here and there, but he’s given me full freedom to do what I want." Buttler encouraged Brook to identify game-changing moments in the field, a challenge Brook is ready for, especially after showing flashes of leadership during The Hundred.
The series marks the first since Rob Key announced Brendon McCullum as England’s new limited-overs coach. Brook noted that he hadn’t spoken much to McCullum but believes the formats will soon merge, with players like Ben Duckett moving up the order as a sign of things to come.
Brook is excited about the fresh challenge and hopes it will reinvigorate him after ending the Test summer on autopilot. "The lads have been so chilled in training. We’re all just looking forward to going out there and having some fun," he concluded.