Harry Brook has arrived in the Caribbean leaner and fitter than ever after a winter of on-field disappointment and off-field sadness. Jos Buttler’s side embark on their attempts to regain their T20 title on Tuesday against Scotland in Barbados, with Harry Brook promising to be ‘more relaxed’ than he was during England’s botched defence of their 50-over World Cup in India.
Harry Brook then sat out the five-Test series against the Indians to be with his grandmother, Pauline, who died in February, before missing the IPL and spending the time off getting into shape ahead of the county season with Yorkshire.
Harry Brook’s international cricket career
Harry Brook has made a remarkable start to his Test career, averaging 62 from his first 12 games with a Bazball strike-rate of 91. But his white-ball numbers are less eye-catching: an average of 29 from 15 ODIs, and 26 from 31 T20s. Harry Brook averaged just 11 during England’s successful T20 World Cup campaign in Australia at the end of 2022, and was at the centre of a mishandled selection process a year later before the one-day World Cup in India.
A last-minute pick, Harry Brook ousted the unhappy Jason Roy, then admitted a couple of games into the competition that he was still trying to work out the 50-over game. Despite one high-class innings – 66 off 61 balls during the shock defeat by Afghanistan in Delhi – England failed to get the best out of him. This tournament feels like an opportunity to start building the reputation many feel is his destiny: to become England’s next great all-format player.
On Sunday, as England enjoyed their first training session since arriving in Bridgetown on Friday night, he looked sharper than at any time since his international debut in January 2022.
That debut also took place at the Kensington Oval, with Brook making 10 from 13 balls after coming in at No 7. Now, Harry Brook plans to make an impact from No 5, and exploit the hours in the gym that he hopes will make him lighter on his feet, faster between the wickets and quicker with his bladework.
Perhaps time off has been just what he needed, a chance to refresh and reload, even at the age of 25. His Indian experience certainly made its own impression.
‘Be a bit more relaxed,’ he said. ‘Probably stay in the moment a little bit more, as a group and personally. We weren’t in a great space at the time. It wasn’t the best competition to be part of.’
Brook also revealed that Ben Stokes urged him to put family first as he considered joining up with the Test squad following Pauline’s cancer diagnosis.
Harry Brook reveals conversation with Ben Stokes about personal reasons to opt out of Test series 2024 vs India
Young England sensation Harry Brook revealed how supportive his Test captain Ben Stokes was when the former was pondering pulling out of the five-match Test series against India. Brook’s grandmother was ill and the cricketer had been told that she didn’t have long enough time to live.
The youngster was with the England team in Abu Dhabi for the pre-series preparations. However, Stokes gave Brook his full support and urged him to head back home and be with his family during the tough times.
Speaking to The Telegraph, here’s what Harry Brook had to say about his conversation with Ben Stokes:
“I had a couple of conversations with him (Stokes) and he basically said whatever happens family is the most important thing and you’d regret going back to play cricket if something happened than if you were at home and something happened. I did the right thing.”
Harry Brook’s grandmother passed away in February and the batter decided to pull out of the IPL 2024 season to be with his family as they grieved the loss. He was snapped up by the Delhi Capitals for INR 4 crore in the IPL 2024 auction.
Harry Brook has been in decent form of late
Harry Brook made his comeback to competitive cricket in the County Championship Division Two in April 2024 for Yorkshire, scoring a fantastic hundred against Leicestershire. He scored another ton against Derbyshire and showed great consistency with a couple of half-centuries.
A handy 17* against Pakistan in the final T20I of their five-match series and helping England win will have given Brook some much-needed confidence. He is a crucial cog in the wheel for England at the T20 World Cup 2024 as he is likely to bat at No.5, forming the potent middle-order alongside Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone.
England looked relaxed as they trained amid the showers at the Three Ws Oval, a five-minute drive north from the Kensington Oval along the island’s blustery west coast. Barring setbacks, their only selection issue for Tuesday’s game appears to be whether to pick Mark Wood or Reece Topley, who each managed just one appearance during the rain-affected 2-0 home win over Pakistan.
But they are not interested in excuses, and fed up with monitoring the weather forecast. Above all, Buttler’s team want to prove that the meltdown in India was the exception, not the rule.