England batsman 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 (Jul 23). 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. 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.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-2025-sai-sudharsan-shardul-thakur-dhruv-jurel-in-fray-for-comeback-as-india-prepare-for-manchester-test-report-1753110167883">IND vs ENG 2025: Sudharsan, Thakur, Jurel in fray for comeback as India prepare for Manchester Test - Report</a>&nbsp;That lit a fire under England when it was their turn to field, with Jofra Archer giving a pumped-up send-off to India's Rishabh Pant.&nbsp;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 Brook is adamant Ben Stokes' side did not go too far with their spikey approach in pursuit of victory.&nbsp;"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.'&nbsp;"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.&nbsp;"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."&nbsp;India pace bowler Mohammed Siraj was fined 15 per cent of his match fee and given one demerit point for his angry send-off of Duckett during England's second innings, which ended with the pair brushing shoulders.&nbsp;Brook revealed it was at his urging after some choice words from head coach Brendon McCullum that they decided to fight back.&nbsp;Asked whether that aggressive approach will continue as England look to win the series, Brook said: "God knows. We'll see whether it happens again and whether it works.&nbsp;"We were just putting them under more pressure. Baz (McCullum) actually said a few days before that we are too nice sometimes.&nbsp;“I brought it up the night before the last day: 'Baz said the other day we're too nice, I think tomorrow is a perfect opportunity to really get stuck into them'.”&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.&nbsp;

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 Brook is adamant Ben Stokes' side did not go too far with their spikey approach in pursuit of victory.

England batsman 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 (Jul 23). 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. 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. Also read | IND vs ENG 2025: Sudharsan, Thakur, Jurel in fray for comeback as India prepare for Manchester Test - Report That lit a fire under England when it was their turn to field, with Jofra Archer giving a pumped-up send-off to India's Rishabh Pant. 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 Brook is adamant Ben Stokes' side did not go too 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." India pace bowler Mohammed Siraj was fined 15 per cent of his match fee and given one demerit point for his angry send-off of Duckett during England's second innings, which ended with the pair brushing shoulders. Brook revealed it was at his urging after some choice words from head coach Brendon McCullum that they decided to fight back. Asked whether that aggressive approach will continue as England look to win the series, Brook said: "God knows. We'll see whether it happens again and whether it works. "We were just putting them under more pressure. Baz (McCullum) actually said a few days before that we are too nice sometimes. “I brought it up the night before the last day: 'Baz said the other day we're too nice, I think tomorrow is a perfect opportunity to really get stuck into them'.” Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

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 Brook is adamant Ben Stokes' side did not go too far with their spikey approach in pursuit of victory.

IND vs ENG: England won't play nice against India, warns Brook ahead of Manchester Test

From Shubman Gill to Joe Root, here is a look at five fittest players in India vs England Test series 2025. This list also includes Ravindra Jadeja, Harry Brook and KL Rahul.

From Shubman Gill to Joe Root, here's a look at five fittest players in India vs England Test series 2025. This list also includes Ravindra Jadeja, Harry Brook and KL Rahul.

From Shubman Gill to Joe Root: 5 fittest players in India vs England Test series

No Bumrah, no worries, as Akash Deep has got India’s pace attack screaming win at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The Test specialist picked up two wickets late on day four to dent England’s momentum, including castling Joe Root off a Jaffa. He continued his impressive spell early on day five by removing two batters – Ollie Pope and Harry Brook. Although the Pope's delivery wasn’t the best he bowled, he still got him; the one that dismissed Brook was a ripper, like a proper off-spinner coming in at 130 kmph. Brook had no answers to it, departing on 23, leaving Stokes and Jamie Smith to tackle the Indian attack.&nbsp;Day five began late due to rain interruption. Constant showers kept the players away from the field, with the dense cloud cover keeping everyone worried. That, however, cut ten overs, leaving both teams with 80 overs to play on the final day at Edgbaston in Birmingham.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-2nd-test-edgbaston-yograj-singh-unhappy-with-shubman-gill-for-missing-out-on-triple-ton-269-first-innings-1751802872533">‘Go make 300, then 350, even 400…,’ Yograj Singh unhappy with Gill for missing out on Edgbaston triple ton</a> &nbsp;England had their overnight batters in Pope and Brook at the crease, chasing another 536 runs with seven wickets remaining. The pair struggled earlier with the ball doing a bit. Just when they thought they could accelerate, Akash Deep returned to break England’s back. He first removed Pope, bowled of an inside edge on 24, before trapping Brook in the middle. With that, he completed four wickets thus far in the innings.&nbsp;WATCH -&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">One wicket leads to another! 🙌🏻 Akash Deep is on 🔥 as he traps <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarryBrook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HarryBrook</a> in front &amp; half of the English side is back in the hut! 👊🏻 1-1 on the cards? 𝙮𝙚𝙝 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙝𝙣𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙝𝙞 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙖𝙮𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙞! 👊🏻😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvIND</a> 👉 2nd TEST, Day 5 | LIVE NOW on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioHotstar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioHotstar</a>… <a href="https://t.co/FdMUwYxChf">pic.twitter.com/FdMUwYxChf</a>&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1941835222435434671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Picking two top and middle-order batters, including the one who smashed a hundred in the first innings, Team India got itself back in the game. Although captain Ben Stokes and superstar gloveman Jamie Smith are present at the crease, the remaining target looks improbable to chase. &nbsp;Also, if India beat England in Birmingham, it will be their first Test win at this venue. To date, Team India has played eight Test matches at Edgbaston, losing seven and drawing one. A victory here would help them level the five-match series 1-1.&nbsp; &nbsp;The Indian Team lost the series opener in Leeds by five wickets.

Although the Pope's delivery wasn’t the best he bowled, he still got him; the one that dismissed Brook was a ripper, like a proper off-spinner coming in at 130 kmph.

No Bumrah, no worries, as Akash Deep has got India’s pace attack screaming win at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The Test specialist picked up two wickets late on day four to dent England’s momentum, including castling Joe Root off a Jaffa. He continued his impressive spell early on day five by removing two batters – Ollie Pope and Harry Brook. Although the Pope's delivery wasn’t the best he bowled, he still got him; the one that dismissed Brook was a ripper, like a proper off-spinner coming in at 130 kmph. Brook had no answers to it, departing on 23, leaving Stokes and Jamie Smith to tackle the Indian attack. Day five began late due to rain interruption. Constant showers kept the players away from the field, with the dense cloud cover keeping everyone worried. That, however, cut ten overs, leaving both teams with 80 overs to play on the final day at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Also read | ‘Go make 300, then 350, even 400…,’ Yograj Singh unhappy with Gill for missing out on Edgbaston triple ton England had their overnight batters in Pope and Brook at the crease, chasing another 536 runs with seven wickets remaining. The pair struggled earlier with the ball doing a bit. Just when they thought they could accelerate, Akash Deep returned to break England’s back. He first removed Pope, bowled of an inside edge on 24, before trapping Brook in the middle. With that, he completed four wickets thus far in the innings. WATCH -

Although the Pope's delivery wasn’t the best he bowled, he still got him; the one that dismissed Brook was a ripper, like a proper off-spinner coming in at 130 kmph.

IND vs ENG: Akash Deep in Bumrah-mode in Edgbaston, removes Pope, Brook off rippers on day 5 - WATCH

Rishabh Pant loves playing Test cricket; he loves scoring runs in Test cricket, and, the best part is, he is not even greedy about the records he often breaks in Test cricket. The left-handed batter was among runs in the second innings at Edgbaston, hitting a valiant 69 off 58, including three sixes and eight fours. However, as chirpy as he is behind the wickets in his turn, the opposition players also love a little banter with him when he bats; such was the case between Pant and Harry Brook on day four of the second Test in Birmingham. Though whatever was said was in all humour, Pant’s reply was full of humility.&nbsp;Sometime around when Pant was batting in the second innings, Brook, standing in the slips, and keeper Jamie Smith tried getting under Pant’s skin with a subtle dialogue about scoring runs quickly. Although Pant’s style of play is daring and entertaining, keeping everyone involved, including the opposition, his game awareness is what separates him from the rest.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-2nd-test-shubman-gill-hits-peak-form-in-edgbaston-becomes-1st-indian-in-54-years-to-achieve-this-feat-1751728306300">IND vs ENG, 2nd Test: Shubman Gill hits peak form in Edgbaston, becomes 1st Indian in 54 years to achieve THIS feat</a> &nbsp;At a time when he and India captain Shubman Gill, who completed his third hundred of this series, second in this Test, were playing per the plan, deploying caution and attacking the loose ones, Brook reminded him of a fastest Test hundred record (scored in 55 balls), perhaps pushing him to play quicker and giving England a chance to dismiss him. &nbsp;After Brook said, ‘The fastest I’ve done is 55 balls (and) you could have done that today,’ Pant replied, ‘It’s okay. (I am) Not very greedy for records. If it happens, it happens.’ &nbsp;WATCH VIDEO -&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Records? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RishabhPant?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RishabhPant</a>’s reply will win your respect. 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarryBrook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HarryBrook</a> asked about the fastest hundred and Pant’s response was pure humility. 💯✨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvIND</a> 👉 2nd TEST, Day 4 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar ➡ <a href="https://t.co/2wT1UwEcdi">https://t.co/2wT1UwEcdi</a> <a href="https://t.co/MEx6HVDUJH">pic.twitter.com/MEx6HVDUJH</a>&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1941520897783026055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

His statement truly tells about who he is. A batter, who often gets out in the nineties, more time than most players ever have, cannot be greedy for records. He, however, set a few during the first Test in Leeds, having scored twin tons in the series opener. &nbsp;Meanwhile, it was his team skipper Gill, who broke several records with his marathon 161 in the second innings. The right-handed batter now holds a record for most runs by an Indian batter in a Test match (430), surpassing Sunil Gavaskar’s tally and the second highest overall after England’s Graham Gooch’s 456 against India at Lord’s in 1990. &nbsp;India scored 427 for six declared in their second innings, setting England an improbable-looking target of 608 with less than four sessions remaining.

As chirpy as he is behind the wickets in his turn, the opposition players also love a little banter with him when he bats; such was the case between Pant and Harry Brook on day four of the second Test in Birmingham.

Rishabh Pant loves playing Test cricket; he loves scoring runs in Test cricket, and, the best part is, he is not even greedy about the records he often breaks in Test cricket. The left-handed batter was among runs in the second innings at Edgbaston, hitting a valiant 69 off 58, including three sixes and eight fours. However, as chirpy as he is behind the wickets in his turn, the opposition players also love a little banter with him when he bats; such was the case between Pant and Harry Brook on day four of the second Test in Birmingham. Though whatever was said was in all humour, Pant’s reply was full of humility. Sometime around when Pant was batting in the second innings, Brook, standing in the slips, and keeper Jamie Smith tried getting under Pant’s skin with a subtle dialogue about scoring runs quickly. Although Pant’s style of play is daring and entertaining, keeping everyone involved, including the opposition, his game awareness is what separates him from the rest. Also read | IND vs ENG, 2nd Test: Shubman Gill hits peak form in Edgbaston, becomes 1st Indian in 54 years to achieve THIS feat At a time when he and India captain Shubman Gill, who completed his third hundred of this series, second in this Test, were playing per the plan, deploying caution and attacking the loose ones, Brook reminded him of a fastest Test hundred record (scored in 55 balls), perhaps pushing him to play quicker and giving England a chance to dismiss him. After Brook said, ‘The fastest I’ve done is 55 balls (and) you could have done that today,’ Pant replied, ‘It’s okay. (I am) Not very greedy for records. If it happens, it happens.’ WATCH VIDEO -

As chirpy as he is behind the wickets in his turn, the opposition players also love a little banter with him when he bats; such was the case between Pant and Harry Brook on day four of the second Test in Birmingham.

IND vs ENG: ‘I am not greedy for records,’ Pant’s cheeky reply to Brook’s banter during day 4 in Edgbaston – WATCH

Jamie Smith and Harry Brook now have the highest sixth wicket partnership - 303 runs - in Tests in England by any team. The duo surpassed David Holford and Gary Sobers's record of 282 runs for the sixth wicket set in 1966 Test at Lord's. Smith and Brook reached the milestone on day 3 (Jul 4) of the second Test against India at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The partnership is also the third highest against India for the sixth wicket in Test behind Brendon McCullum &amp; BJ Watling's 352 in 2014 (Wellington) and Mahela Jayawardene &amp; Prasanna Jayawardene's 351 in 2009 (Ahmedabad).&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-india-sink-to-new-low-as-jamie-smith-almost-eclipses-shahid-afridi-for-record-ton-at-edgbaston-1751634229200">IND vs ENG: WATCH | India sink to new low as Jamie Smith almost eclipses Shahid Afridi for record ton at Edgbaston</a><h2>What is highest 6th wicket partnership in Tests vs India?</h2><ul><li>352 by Brendon McCullum &amp; BJ Watling (NZ) in 2014</li><li>351 by Mahela Jayawardene &amp; Prasanna Jayawardene (SL) in 2009</li><li>303 by Harry Brook &amp; Jamie Smith (ENG) in 2025</li><li>250 by Clive Lloyd &amp; Deryck Murray (WI) in 1975</li><li>207 by Imran Khan &amp; Saleem Malik (PAK) in 1983</li><li>207 by Jeff Dujon &amp; Clive Lloyd (WI) in 1983</li><li>207 by Kamran Akmal &amp; Misbah-ul-Haq (PAK) in 2007</li></ul><h2>What is highest 6th wicket partnership in Tests for England?</h2><ul><li>399 by Jonnny Bairstow &amp; Ben Stokes in 2016</li><li>303 by Harry Brook &amp; Jamie Smith in 2025</li><li>281 by Andrew Flintoff &amp; Graham Thorpe in 2002</li><li>240 by Barry Knight &amp; Peter Parfitt in 1963</li><li>232 by Ian Botham &amp; Derek Randall in 1984</li></ul><h2>What is the highest 6th wicket partnership in Tests in England?</h2><ul><li>303 by Harry Brook &amp; Jamie Smith (ENG) in 2025</li><li>282 by David Holford &amp; Gary Sobers (WI) in 1966</li><li>261 by Jeff Dujon &amp; Gus Logie (WI) in 1988</li><li>233 by Tom Blundell &amp; Daryll Mitchell (NZ) in 2022</li><li>230 by Ravindra Jadeja &amp; Rishabh Pant (IND) in 2022</li></ul><h2>Smith-Brook Revive Hosts in Edgbaston</h2>England wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith and Harry Brook have revived the hosts on day 3 of the second Test with an unbeaten 271-run partnership for the sixth wicket. England started the day from overnight score of 77/3 and were soon 84/5 before the duo, especially Smith, launched a counterattack.England added 172 runs in the first session despite two wickets as Smith completed his century off 80 balls - joint-third fastest for England in Tests. In the second session, England added 106 runs more without losing a wicket and were trailing by 232 runs in the first innings in reply of India's 587.Smith was batting 157 off 169 balls while Brook, England's white-ball skipper, was batting at 140 as England finished the second session at 355/5. The partnership was broken with England at 387 when Akash Deep got rid of Harry Brook at 158.

The 303-run partnership by Brook and Smith is also the third highest against India for the sixth wicket in Test behind Brendon McCullum & BJ Watling's 352 in 2014 (Wellington) and Mahela Jayawardene & Prasanna Jayawardene's 351 in 2009 (Ahmedabad).

Jamie Smith and Harry Brook now have the highest sixth wicket partnership - 303 runs - in Tests in England by any team. The duo surpassed David Holford and Gary Sobers's record of 282 runs for the sixth wicket set in 1966 Test at Lord's. Smith and Brook reached the milestone on day 3 (Jul 4) of the second Test against India at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The partnership is also the third highest against India for the sixth wicket in Test behind Brendon McCullum & BJ Watling's 352 in 2014 (Wellington) and Mahela Jayawardene & Prasanna Jayawardene's 351 in 2009 (Ahmedabad). Also Read - IND vs ENG: WATCH | India sink to new low as Jamie Smith almost eclipses Shahid Afridi for record ton at Edgbaston What is highest 6th wicket partnership in Tests vs India? 352 by Brendon McCullum & BJ Watling (NZ) in 2014 351 by Mahela Jayawardene & Prasanna Jayawardene (SL) in 2009 303 by Harry Brook & Jamie Smith (ENG) in 2025 250 by Clive Lloyd & Deryck Murray (WI) in 1975 207 by Imran Khan & Saleem Malik (PAK) in 1983 207 by Jeff Dujon & Clive Lloyd (WI) in 1983 207 by Kamran Akmal & Misbah-ul-Haq (PAK) in 2007 What is highest 6th wicket partnership in Tests for England? 399 by Jonnny Bairstow & Ben Stokes in 2016 303 by Harry Brook & Jamie Smith in 2025 281 by Andrew Flintoff & Graham Thorpe in 2002 240 by Barry Knight & Peter Parfitt in 1963 232 by Ian Botham & Derek Randall in 1984 What is the highest 6th wicket partnership in Tests in England? 303 by Harry Brook & Jamie Smith (ENG) in 2025 282 by David Holford & Gary Sobers (WI) in 1966 261 by Jeff Dujon & Gus Logie (WI) in 1988 233 by Tom Blundell & Daryll Mitchell (NZ) in 2022 230 by Ravindra Jadeja & Rishabh Pant (IND) in 2022 Smith-Brook Revive Hosts in Edgbaston England wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith and Harry Brook have revived the hosts on day 3 of the second Test with an unbeaten 271-run partnership for the sixth wicket. England started the day from overnight score of 77/3 and were soon 84/5 before the duo, especially Smith, launched a counterattack. England added 172 runs in the first session despite two wickets as Smith completed his century off 80 balls - joint-third fastest for England in Tests. In the second session, England added 106 runs more without losing a wicket and were trailing by 232 runs in the first innings in reply of India's 587. Smith was batting 157 off 169 balls while Brook, England's white-ball skipper, was batting at 140 as England finished the second session at 355/5. The partnership was broken with England at 387 when Akash Deep got rid of Harry Brook at 158.

The 303-run partnership by Brook and Smith is also the third highest against India for the sixth wicket in Test behind Brendon McCullum &amp; BJ Watling's 352 in 2014 (Wellington) and Mahela Jayawardene &amp; Prasanna Jayawardene's 351 in 2009 (Ahmedabad).

IND vs ENG: Brook, Smith rewrite records with 303-run 6th wicket Test partnership at Edgbaston

England white-ball captain Harry Brook has opened up on his suspension from the Indian Premier League (IPL). Currently, he is representing the national side in the ongoing Test series against India. Speaking on his IPL suspension, Brook revealed why he left the Delhi Capitals camp despite being purchased for a whopping amount of ₹6.25 crore in the 2025 mega auction. This led to his suspension from the IPL for the next two years.&nbsp;&nbsp;On opting out of the IPL, Brook stated: “It was an incredibly difficult decision. The IPL is an amazing tournament. It’s tough cricket, with the best players in the world. The crowds and atmosphere are amazing. It is the best franchise tournament in the world. I would love to play the IPL in the future, but for the time being, the focus is on England duties,” Brook said in a media interaction organized by Sony Sports Network.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-has-hit-a-six-on-the-very-first-ball-in-test-cricket-the-answer-will-surprise-you-1751208761844">Who has hit a six on the very first ball in Test cricket? The answer will surprise you</a>&nbsp;Harry Brook said he chose to skip the tournament so he could concentrate on playing for the England national team.&nbsp;&nbsp;Still, Brook has no regrets. He used that time to play in matches against Zimbabwe and the West Indies, where he made some important contributions with the bat for the team.&nbsp;Currently, Brook is part of the Test series against India. In the first Test, he scored a vital 99 runs, which helped the team to cover the lead as it was a high scoring game and played a big role in England’s victory. Ahead of the second Test, Brook said that spin bowling could become more important later in the match.&nbsp;"Historically, the Edgbaston pitch can be flatter. There is probably more in it for spinners. Otherwise, it is generally a typical English pitch. If there is any spin - and I’m completely guessing here - it will probably be late on days three, four and five,” Brook added.&nbsp;

Speaking on his IPL suspension, Brook revealed why he left the Delhi Capitals camp despite being purchased for a whopping amount of ₹6.25 crore in the 2025 mega auction.

England white-ball captain Harry Brook has opened up on his suspension from the Indian Premier League (IPL). Currently, he is representing the national side in the ongoing Test series against India. Speaking on his IPL suspension, Brook revealed why he left the Delhi Capitals camp despite being purchased for a whopping amount of ₹6.25 crore in the 2025 mega auction. This led to his suspension from the IPL for the next two years. On opting out of the IPL, Brook stated: “It was an incredibly difficult decision. The IPL is an amazing tournament. It’s tough cricket, with the best players in the world. The crowds and atmosphere are amazing. It is the best franchise tournament in the world. I would love to play the IPL in the future, but for the time being, the focus is on England duties,” Brook said in a media interaction organized by Sony Sports Network. Also read | Who has hit a six on the very first ball in Test cricket? The answer will surprise you Harry Brook said he chose to skip the tournament so he could concentrate on playing for the England national team. Still, Brook has no regrets. He used that time to play in matches against Zimbabwe and the West Indies, where he made some important contributions with the bat for the team. Currently, Brook is part of the Test series against India. In the first Test, he scored a vital 99 runs, which helped the team to cover the lead as it was a high scoring game and played a big role in England’s victory. Ahead of the second Test, Brook said that spin bowling could become more important later in the match. "Historically, the Edgbaston pitch can be flatter. There is probably more in it for spinners. Otherwise, it is generally a typical English pitch. If there is any spin - and I’m completely guessing here - it will probably be late on days three, four and five,” Brook added.

Speaking on his IPL suspension, Brook revealed why he left the Delhi Capitals camp despite being purchased for a whopping amount of ₹6.25 crore in the 2025 mega auction.

England white-ball captain Harry Brook opens up on IPL suspension, says 'It was an incredibly difficult decision'

From Harry Brook to Rishabh Pant, let's have a look at the top six batters in the latest ICC Test rankings 2025.

From Harry Brook to Rishabh Pant, let's have a look at the top six batters in the latest ICC Test rankings 2025.

From Harry Brook to Rishabh Pant: Top 6 batters in latest ICC Test rankings 2025

Harry Brook kept roaming around with luck by his side, only for it to disperse when he needed it the most. After surviving three chances, including two dropped catches and getting dismissed off a no-ball, Brook got out on 99 while pulling Prasidh Krishna. His reaction told the entire story as he walked off in despair while the Indian Team celebrated in the background. Meanwhile, getting out on 99 puts him in a separate list of players who have had the misfortune of missing out on their Test hundreds by just one run.&nbsp;Brook looked in ominous touch once India took the new ball after lunch on day three in Leeds. Although he smoked several glorious-looking shots before that, including whacking Prasidh Krishna for a six in the first over of the day, Brook went after Mohammed Siraj later, which even led to a verbal altercation between the two.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-1st-test-leeds-rishabh-pant-loses-cool-after-umpire-denies-ball-change-request-watch-video-1750597112850">IND vs ENG, 1st Test: Rishabh Pant loses cool after umpire denies ball change request - WATCH</a> &nbsp;Meanwhile, despite looking destined to complete his maiden Test hundred against India, adding another to an already impressive-looking tally, cricket, life, and Krishna seemed to have different plans for him.&nbsp; &nbsp;Just before the delivery he got out to, Brook nearly missed finding an outside edge to the keeper but mistimed the next one, a steamy bouncer aimed at his head, straight to the deep fine leg, with Shardul Thakur completing the honours.<h3>Watch Video -&nbsp;</h3>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Much-needed breakthrough for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a>! 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrasidhKrishna?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrasidhKrishna</a> grabs his third wicket of the Test, dismissing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarryBrook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HarryBrook</a> on 99! 💥 Will <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a>&#39;s bowlers finish off the English tail in a flash? 👀<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvIND</a> 1st Test Day 3 LIVE NOW Streaming on JioHotstar 👉… <a href="https://t.co/OMbTDbD90j">pic.twitter.com/OMbTDbD90j</a>&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1936785759261892801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

While Team India celebrated his wicket loudly, Brook looked disappointed with himself for missing out on connecting it properly. He, however, had done the damage by then, reducing England’s deficit to fewer than 100. &nbsp;Going by the records, Brook became the third batter after Salim Malik (vs Eng, 1987) &amp; Michael Atherton (vs SA, 1994) to get out on 99 at Headingley in Leeds,&nbsp;and the second English batter after Marcus Trescothick (Mohali, 2001) to be dismissed one shy of a hundred against India in Tests. &nbsp;Earlier in the innings, he got out on a duck off Bumrah, only to survive because of a no-ball while getting dropped twice in the space of six runs later. First, Rishabh Pant dropped him off a sitter on 76 before Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped him, his third of this innings, on 82.

Brook survives three chances only to get out on 99 as his reaction says it all

Harry Brook kept roaming around with luck by his side, only for it to disperse when he needed it the most. After surviving three chances, including two dropped catches and getting dismissed off a no-ball, Brook got out on 99 while pulling Prasidh Krishna. His reaction told the entire story as he walked off in despair while the Indian Team celebrated in the background. Meanwhile, getting out on 99 puts him in a separate list of players who have had the misfortune of missing out on their Test hundreds by just one run. Brook looked in ominous touch once India took the new ball after lunch on day three in Leeds. Although he smoked several glorious-looking shots before that, including whacking Prasidh Krishna for a six in the first over of the day, Brook went after Mohammed Siraj later, which even led to a verbal altercation between the two. Also read | IND vs ENG, 1st Test: Rishabh Pant loses cool after umpire denies ball change request - WATCH Meanwhile, despite looking destined to complete his maiden Test hundred against India, adding another to an already impressive-looking tally, cricket, life, and Krishna seemed to have different plans for him. Just before the delivery he got out to, Brook nearly missed finding an outside edge to the keeper but mistimed the next one, a steamy bouncer aimed at his head, straight to the deep fine leg, with Shardul Thakur completing the honours. Watch Video -

Despite looking destined to complete his maiden Test hundred against India, adding another to an already impressive-looking tally, cricket, life, and Krishna seemed to have different plans for him.&nbsp;

IND vs ENG, 1st Test: Harry Brook survives three chances only to get out on 99

As England is gearing up to take on India at Headingley, starting on June 20 (Wednesday), here is a look at the five players who can make a big impact for England in this series.

As England is gearing up to take on India at Headingley, starting on June 20 (Wednesday), here is a look at the five players who can make a big impact for England in this series.

IND vs ENG 2025: 5 English players to watch out for in Test series

Harry Brook predicted Jacob Bethell "will be some player" after the 21-year-old rising star impressed in England's thumping victory over the West Indies in the first one-day international at Edgbaston on Thursday. There has long been talk over whether Bethell, recently returned from IPL duty, will go straight back into the Test side for the upcoming five-match series with India.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-josh-hazlewood-suyash-sharma-run-riot-in-qualifier-1-as-rcb-down-pbks-punch-ticket-in-fourth-final-1748535305278">IPL 2025: Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma run riot in Qualifier 1 as RCB down PBKS; punch ticket in fourth final</a>&nbsp;And that speculation will only intensify following Bethell's expertly-paced innings of 82 from 53 balls that propelled England to a huge total of 400-8 on his Warwickshire home ground.&nbsp;Faced with trying to become only the second team in the 4,880-match history of men's ODI cricket to score over 400 to win, following South Africa's 438-9 against Australia at Johannesburg in 2006, the West Indies collapsed to 162 all out.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brook, speaking after launching his reign as England's permanent white-ball captain with a dominant 238-run win, said of left-hander Bethell: "He batted beautifully there.&nbsp;‘Confident lad’"When one of us gets going, most of the time it's hard to stop us and he showed that. He couldn't go on and get three figures but it was a match-winning innings and he's going to be some player.&nbsp;"He's a confident lad, I don't think he needs too much more bigging up, he knows he's a good player and we all know he's an exceptional player. He's going to have a very long England career if he keeps on batting the way he does. He brings so much to a side (because) he can bowl and field as well."&nbsp;Victory ended England's seven-match losing streak in ODI cricket and put them 1-0 up in this three-game series against the West Indies.&nbsp;Barbados-born Bethell's Indian Premier League commitments meant he missed last week's Test win over Zimbabwe, with England not having to decide whether to retain him at number three after he starred in New Zealand in December or restore vice-captain Ollie Pope to that position.&nbsp;Pope made a hundred at Trent Bridge but Test captain Ben Stokes revived the debate around Bethell by indicating the spin-bowling all-rounder could be back in the side to face India.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stokes later insisted he was only talking about Bethell returning to the&nbsp; squad for the first of five Tests against India, starting on June 20 at Headingley.&nbsp;But a relaxed Bethell told the BBC: "Not a lot has been said to me, to be honest. At the end of the day in Test cricket, those boys have their spots and whatever happens, happens. I'll just be happy with whatever."&nbsp;Bethell rounded off England's innings on Thursday following earlier fifties from Ben Duckett (60), Joe Root (57) and Brook (58), while every batsman in the hosts' top seven passed 35.&nbsp;"It was a pretty exceptional start from the boys," said Brook. Hopefully we can top that. The tempo we batted with throughout the innings was pretty much spot on."&nbsp;Saqib Mahmood then rocked the West Indies with three wickets and fellow paceman Jamie Overton did likewise despite dislocating his finger in his first over.&nbsp;West Indies coach Darren Sammy, meanwhile, demanded an improved showing from the tourists in the second ODI in Cardiff on Sunday.&nbsp;"We were really outplayed -- that was just not good enough," insisted the former West Indies captain.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

New ODI captain Harry Brook hails exceptional Bethell as England rout West Indies

Harry Brook predicted Jacob Bethell "will be some player" after the 21-year-old rising star impressed in England's thumping victory over the West Indies in the first one-day international at Edgbaston on Thursday. There has long been talk over whether Bethell, recently returned from IPL duty, will go straight back into the Test side for the upcoming five-match series with India. Also read | IPL 2025: Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma run riot in Qualifier 1 as RCB down PBKS; punch ticket in fourth final And that speculation will only intensify following Bethell's expertly-paced innings of 82 from 53 balls that propelled England to a huge total of 400-8 on his Warwickshire home ground. Faced with trying to become only the second team in the 4,880-match history of men's ODI cricket to score over 400 to win, following South Africa's 438-9 against Australia at Johannesburg in 2006, the West Indies collapsed to 162 all out. Brook, speaking after launching his reign as England's permanent white-ball captain with a dominant 238-run win, said of left-hander Bethell: "He batted beautifully there. ‘Confident lad’ "When one of us gets going, most of the time it's hard to stop us and he showed that. He couldn't go on and get three figures but it was a match-winning innings and he's going to be some player. "He's a confident lad, I don't think he needs too much more bigging up, he knows he's a good player and we all know he's an exceptional player. He's going to have a very long England career if he keeps on batting the way he does. He brings so much to a side (because) he can bowl and field as well." Victory ended England's seven-match losing streak in ODI cricket and put them 1-0 up in this three-game series against the West Indies. Barbados-born Bethell's Indian Premier League commitments meant he missed last week's Test win over Zimbabwe, with England not having to decide whether to retain him at number three after he starred in New Zealand in December or restore vice-captain Ollie Pope to that position. Pope made a hundred at Trent Bridge but Test captain Ben Stokes revived the debate around Bethell by indicating the spin-bowling all-rounder could be back in the side to face India. Stokes later insisted he was only talking about Bethell returning to the squad for the first of five Tests against India, starting on June 20 at Headingley. But a relaxed Bethell told the BBC: "Not a lot has been said to me, to be honest. At the end of the day in Test cricket, those boys have their spots and whatever happens, happens. I'll just be happy with whatever." Bethell rounded off England's innings on Thursday following earlier fifties from Ben Duckett (60), Joe Root (57) and Brook (58), while every batsman in the hosts' top seven passed 35. "It was a pretty exceptional start from the boys," said Brook. Hopefully we can top that. The tempo we batted with throughout the innings was pretty much spot on." Saqib Mahmood then rocked the West Indies with three wickets and fellow paceman Jamie Overton did likewise despite dislocating his finger in his first over. West Indies coach Darren Sammy, meanwhile, demanded an improved showing from the tourists in the second ODI in Cardiff on Sunday. "We were really outplayed -- that was just not good enough," insisted the former West Indies captain. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Brook, speaking after launching his reign as England's permanent white-ball captain with a dominant 238-run win, said of left-hander Bethell: "He batted beautifully there.

New ODI captain Harry Brook hails 'exceptional' Bethell as England rout West Indies

With the WTC Final 2025 on the horizon, here are 7 players who top-scored in the 23-25 WTC Cycle, including Root, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Travis Head. Sports Cricket Photos

WTC 2023-2025: Top 7 batters revealed! No Kohli, no Rohit, just one Indian star

England&rsquo;s newest white-ball captain, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook" rel="dofollow">Harry Brook</a>, pulled out of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/delhi-capitals" rel="dofollow">Delhi Capitals (DC)</a> to prioritise national commitments. As he breached the latest league law that expels the concerned player from registering in the auction for a specific period as punishment, Brook faced a two-year ban from the IPL. DC mentor Kevin Pietersen, who admitted looking forward to working with Brook, was &lsquo;bitterly disappointed&rsquo; with his decision this season.
It&rsquo;s not the first time that Brook pulled out of an IPL season despite getting picked in the auction. Following his debut season two years ago for SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), Brook pulled out of IPL 2024 for personal reasons before doing the same this time, but for a different reason. Brook&rsquo;s actions had repercussions, as IPL banned him from featuring in the auction list until the 2028 season.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-who-is-23-year-old-mitchell-owen-glenn-maxwell-replacement-at-pbks-for-remainder-of-season-tasmania-psl-peshawar-zalmi-9031725" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Who is 23-year-old Mitchell Owen? Glenn Maxwell&rsquo;s replacement at PBKS for remainder of season</a>
Speaking highly of the England batter in a recent chat with ESPNcricinfo, Pietersen revealed what he said to Brook.&nbsp;
"I was like, 'Dude, I'm gutted that I can't work with you for a few months.' I think that he is a star&hellip;You don't hit one ball over extra cover and the next, same ball, over midwicket if you can't play,&rdquo; Pietersen said of Brook&rsquo;s talent.
<h2>'Wanted to work on his subcontinent game'</h2>
He also picked on Brook's weakness, especially in the subcontinent, saying that he wanted to work with him this season, but respects Brook&rsquo;s decision to pull out this season.
"So, he can properly play, but he has technical flaws in the subcontinent - in India, in particular. I really wanted to work with him, but people make their own choices in life, and you've got to respect them. He has a flaw playing spin in India - a real big flaw. Two months here, imagine what might have happened if he had fixed that?&rdquo; KP continued.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I would've worked the same with him as I did with [Joe] Root and [Jonny] Bairstow at the start of their careers. Root turned out to be the greatest player of spin England's ever had. I'm not saying it's because of what we did when he was a youngster, but we spent hours together batting in the nets, going through drills and practising. I love that stuff,&rdquo; Pietersen added.
Meanwhile, Brook's decision to skip this season led to Delhi making last-minute changes to its strategies, making KL Rahul bat at number four.&nbsp;
Reflecting on his statement a couple of years ago, wherein he called KL batting in the middle order &lsquo;the most boring thing&rsquo;, Kevin said, "He never lets me forget. Every day, we have a dart at each other. I'm the villain. He's hammering me!"
As things stand, DC sits in fifth place on the points table, with 12 points from ten contested matches thus far.&nbsp;

DC mentor Kevin Pietersen, who admitted looking forward to working with Brook, was ‘bitterly disappointed’ with his decision this season. Sports, Cricket

England’s newest white-ball captain, Harry Brook, pulled out of IPL 2025 for Delhi Capitals (DC) to prioritise national commitments. As he breached the latest league law that expels the concerned player from registering in the auction for a specific period as punishment, Brook faced a two-year ban from the IPL. DC mentor Kevin Pietersen, who admitted looking forward to working with Brook, was ‘bitterly disappointed’ with his decision this season. It’s not the first time that Brook pulled out of an IPL season despite getting picked in the auction. Following his debut season two years ago for SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), Brook pulled out of IPL 2024 for personal reasons before doing the same this time, but for a different reason. Brook’s actions had repercussions, as IPL banned him from featuring in the auction list until the 2028 season. Also read | IPL 2025: Who is 23-year-old Mitchell Owen? Glenn Maxwell’s replacement at PBKS for remainder of season Speaking highly of the England batter in a recent chat with ESPNcricinfo, Pietersen revealed what he said to Brook. "I was like, 'Dude, I'm gutted that I can't work with you for a few months.' I think that he is a star…You don't hit one ball over extra cover and the next, same ball, over midwicket if you can't play,” Pietersen said of Brook’s talent. 'Wanted to work on his subcontinent game' He also picked on Brook's weakness, especially in the subcontinent, saying that he wanted to work with him this season, but respects Brook’s decision to pull out this season. "So, he can properly play, but he has technical flaws in the subcontinent - in India, in particular. I really wanted to work with him, but people make their own choices in life, and you've got to respect them. He has a flaw playing spin in India - a real big flaw. Two months here, imagine what might have happened if he had fixed that?” KP continued. “I would've worked the same with him as I did with [Joe] Root and [Jonny] Bairstow at the start of their careers. Root turned out to be the greatest player of spin England's ever had. I'm not saying it's because of what we did when he was a youngster, but we spent hours together batting in the nets, going through drills and practising. I love that stuff,” Pietersen added. Meanwhile, Brook's decision to skip this season led to Delhi making last-minute changes to its strategies, making KL Rahul bat at number four. Reflecting on his statement a couple of years ago, wherein he called KL batting in the middle order ‘the most boring thing’, Kevin said, "He never lets me forget. Every day, we have a dart at each other. I'm the villain. He's hammering me!" As things stand, DC sits in fifth place on the points table, with 12 points from ten contested matches thus far.

‘He is a star…I am gutted I can’t work with him,’ DC mentor Pietersen on Harry Brook pulling out of IPL 2025

England's new white-ball skipper Harry Brook says that he hasn't been officially informed by the Indian Premier League (IPL) of his two-year ban. Brook was banned for pulling out of the tournament second consecutive year after being picked up in the auction. He was expected to play for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025.
"They haven't told me," he said in an interview as reported by the UK-based news outlet Mirror. "But if I do get banned, fair play. That's the rules they put in place, but I'm completely committed to playing cricket for England," he added.
Brook said that he's fine with losing the money - $740,000 of it - to prioritise and play for the country.
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"So to lose a little bit of money here and there, I'd take that any day to play for England. I won't be playing any franchise cricket in the near future and I'll be prioritising England and whatever games we have with them," he added.
Brook took over from Jos Buttler as England skipper after the latter quit the captaincy following a disastrous Champions Trophy 2025 campaign - England's third consecutive disappointing ICC trophy after 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup.
A regular across formats, Brook is currently ranked the world&rsquo;s second-best Test batter, just behind Joe Root. His triple century (317) against Pakistan in Multan last year earned him global recognition.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a real honour to be named England&rsquo;s white-ball captain,&rdquo; Brook said on being appointed as captain. &ldquo;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.&rdquo;
While Ben Stokes was briefly considered, his injury and past ODI retirement cleared the path for Brook.

Harry Brook said that he's fine with losing the money - $740,000 of it - to prioritise and play for the country and pulling out of IPL 2025. World Cricket Sports

England's new white-ball skipper Harry Brook says that he hasn't been officially informed by the Indian Premier League (IPL) of his two-year ban. Brook was banned for pulling out of the tournament second consecutive year after being picked up in the auction. He was expected to play for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025. "They haven't told me," he said in an interview as reported by the UK-based news outlet Mirror. "But if I do get banned, fair play. That's the rules they put in place, but I'm completely committed to playing cricket for England," he added. Brook said that he's fine with losing the money - $740,000 of it - to prioritise and play for the country. Also Watch: Cricket's popularity across Europe SHOCKS football hero during quiz show "So to lose a little bit of money here and there, I'd take that any day to play for England. I won't be playing any franchise cricket in the near future and I'll be prioritising England and whatever games we have with them," he added. Brook took over from Jos Buttler as England skipper after the latter quit the captaincy following a disastrous Champions Trophy 2025 campaign - England's third consecutive disappointing ICC trophy after 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup. A regular across formats, Brook is currently ranked the world’s second-best Test batter, just behind Joe Root. His triple century (317) against Pakistan in Multan last year earned him global recognition. “It’s a real honour to be named England’s white-ball captain,” Brook said on being appointed as 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.” While Ben Stokes was briefly considered, his injury and past ODI retirement cleared the path for Brook.

'They haven't told me,' England skipper Harry Brook on being banned in IPL

England's new white-ball captain, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook" rel="dofollow">Harry Brook</a>, made headlines after opting to skip the second successive season of the cash-rich Indian Premier League despite registering his name in the mega auction. Though he got away last season after citing personal reasons, the IPL and the BCCI banned him for two years after he decided against playing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> for prioritising national duty.
The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/delhi-capitals" rel="dofollow">Delhi Capitals (DC)</a> purchased Brook at the mega auction late last year, only to see him opting out of the 18th edition already underway.&nbsp; The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) replaced Buttler with Brook as England's ODI and T20I captain soon after, with the star batter setting his priority straight. But before he chalked out the plan to help England regain white-ball success, which they did under former skipper Eoin Morgan, Brook addressed the elephant in the room.&nbsp;
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Since winning the ODI World Cup in 2019 and their second T20 world title three years later (in 2022), England's white-ball cricket fell flat. They got knocked out in the group stages of the 2023 ODI World Cup and lost to India in last year's T20 World Cup in the Americas. Even in the first showpiece event of the year - the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, England got kicked out in the first stage, enduring further embarrassment. The fans began picking on them following such performances, denting England's dressing room morale.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think we can relax a little bit more. There was a lot of pressure on us from the outside that we were letting come inside, and it affected certain players," Brook said in a chat with Sky Sports. "I would find myself coming across things I didn&rsquo;t really want to see. As a group, we can try to keep the outside noise to a minimum."
<h2>England's captaincy, a proud moment</h2>
Following England's Champions Trophy first-round exit, Buttler stepped aside as the white-ball captain, leaving the spot vacant for several contenders, including Brook, to pounce on the chance.&nbsp;
"It's obviously a very proud moment for me and everyone who has played a part in my career, I'm looking forward to what is going to come in the future. It was all up in the air for a little while, as everyone knows, I found out last week.
"Keysy [Rob Key, managing director of England men's cricket] and Baz [Brendon McCullum, England's head coach] both rang me up and when they told me the news, I took it with open arms. I&rsquo;m looking forward to what the future holds," Brook said.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Despite knowing the repercussions of pulling out from IPL after being bought at an IPL auction, Brook did so this time, for the second time in a row.

England's new white-ball captain, Harry Brook, made headlines after opting to skip the second successive season of the cash-rich Indian Premier League despite registering his name in the mega auction. Though he got away last season after citing personal reasons, the IPL and the BCCI banned him for two years after he decided against playing IPL 2025 for prioritising national duty. The Delhi Capitals (DC) purchased Brook at the mega auction late last year, only to see him opting out of the 18th edition already underway. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) replaced Buttler with Brook as England's ODI and T20I captain soon after, with the star batter setting his priority straight. But before he chalked out the plan to help England regain white-ball success, which they did under former skipper Eoin Morgan, Brook addressed the elephant in the room. Also read | Cricket at Los Angeles 2028 Olympics: Check history and all you need to know as six teams and 90 players to feature Since winning the ODI World Cup in 2019 and their second T20 world title three years later (in 2022), England's white-ball cricket fell flat. They got knocked out in the group stages of the 2023 ODI World Cup and lost to India in last year's T20 World Cup in the Americas. Even in the first showpiece event of the year - the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, England got kicked out in the first stage, enduring further embarrassment. The fans began picking on them following such performances, denting England's dressing room morale. “I think we can relax a little bit more. There was a lot of pressure on us from the outside that we were letting come inside, and it affected certain players," Brook said in a chat with Sky Sports. "I would find myself coming across things I didn’t really want to see. As a group, we can try to keep the outside noise to a minimum." England's captaincy, a proud moment Following England's Champions Trophy first-round exit, Buttler stepped aside as the white-ball captain, leaving the spot vacant for several contenders, including Brook, to pounce on the chance. "It's obviously a very proud moment for me and everyone who has played a part in my career, I'm looking forward to what is going to come in the future. It was all up in the air for a little while, as everyone knows, I found out last week. "Keysy [Rob Key, managing director of England men's cricket] and Baz [Brendon McCullum, England's head coach] both rang me up and when they told me the news, I took it with open arms. I’m looking forward to what the future holds," Brook said. (With inputs from agencies)

Harry Brook on 'outside noise' affecting him - 'I came across things I didn't want to see'

In a major shift in England’s white-ball setup, Harry Brook has been named the new captain of the ODI and T20I teams. The 26-year-old took over from Jos Buttler, who stepped down after England’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy in March.

Harry Brook named as new England men's T20 & ODI captain

In a major shift in England&rsquo;s white-ball setup, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook">Harry Brook</a> has been named the new captain of the ODI and T20I teams. The 26-year-old took over from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jos-buttler">Jos Buttler</a>, who stepped down after England&rsquo;s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy in March.
Brook&rsquo;s appointment doesn&rsquo;t come as a surprise. He was already serving as vice-captain and had led the ODI side against Australia last year when Buttler was unavailable. A regular across formats, Brook is currently ranked the world&rsquo;s second-best Test batter, just behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/joe-root">Joe Root</a>. His triple century (317) against Pakistan in Multan last year earned him global recognition.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a real honour to be named England&rsquo;s white-ball captain,&rdquo; Brook said. &ldquo;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.&rdquo;
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Just before the IPL, Brook had opted out of his Delhi Capitals contract, saying he wanted to focus on England duties. At the time, many questioned the decision &mdash; but now it looks like the first step toward a bigger role.
<h2>'Harry has an excellent cricketing brain'</h2>
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"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," he added.
Though new to captaincy at the senior level, Brook impressed during a close 3-2 series against Australia and has experience from the Under-19 World Cup and The Hundred.
While Ben Stokes was briefly considered, his injury and past ODI retirement cleared the path for Brook. &ldquo;Harry has an excellent cricketing brain,&rdquo; said Rob Key.&nbsp;Brook&rsquo;s first assignment as captain begins in May, at home against the West Indies.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Brook is currently ranked the world’s second-best Test batter. His triple century against Pakistan in Multan last year earned him global recognition

In a major shift in England’s white-ball setup, Harry Brook has been named the new captain of the ODI and T20I teams. The 26-year-old took over from Jos Buttler, who stepped down after England’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy in March. Brook’s appointment doesn’t come as a surprise. He was already serving as vice-captain and had led the ODI side against Australia last year when Buttler was unavailable. A regular across formats, Brook is currently ranked the world’s second-best Test batter, just behind Joe Root. His triple century (317) against Pakistan in Multan last year earned him global recognition. “It’s a real honour to be named England’s white-ball captain,” Brook said. “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.” Also Read: Pakistan incur sanction for maintaining slow over-rate in third ODI against Blackcaps, Rizwan pleads guilty Just before the IPL, Brook had opted out of his Delhi Capitals contract, saying he wanted to focus on England duties. At the time, many questioned the decision — but now it looks like the first step toward a bigger role. 'Harry has an excellent cricketing brain' "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," he added. Though new to captaincy at the senior level, Brook impressed during a close 3-2 series against Australia and has experience from the Under-19 World Cup and The Hundred. While Ben Stokes was briefly considered, his injury and past ODI retirement cleared the path for Brook. “Harry has an excellent cricketing brain,” said Rob Key. Brook’s first assignment as captain begins in May, at home against the West Indies. (With inputs from agencies)

Harry Brook takes command as England enters a new white-ball era

When the only England captain to have won an ODI World Cup throws suggestions into a bowl for the ECB to pick from, they do it. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/eoin-morgan" rel="dofollow">Eoin Morgan</a> thinks the board has two options to choose for England&rsquo;s white-ball captaincy, explaining all will depend on which direction they wish to move forward. Morgan handpicked <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook" rel="dofollow">Harry Brook</a> and Ben Stokes as Buttler&rsquo;s replacement as the ODI and T20I captain.
"I think there are a couple of options, and the options are dependent solely on the direction they want to take,&rdquo; Morgan said in a chat with Sky Sports.
"I think it's imperative that you will always have a target in mind. With the recent form the side, particularly in white-ball cricket, has had, you can't go out and all of a sudden try and win absolutely everything. You need to paint a picture moving forward as to what you're driving all of your energy towards,&rdquo; he continued.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-one-year-after-ahmedabad-crowd-booed-hardik-pandya-mi-captain-receives-loudest-cheer-at-toss-gujarat-titans-gt-watch-8904718" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: One year after Ahmedabad crowd booed Hardik Pandya, MI captain receives loudest cheer at toss &ndash; WATCH</a>
England&rsquo;s ODI cricket rose from the ashes of the 2015 ODI World Cup debacle to winning the next WC four years later at home, and Morgan was at the centre of things. However, after several years of domination in white-ball cricket, their ODI game finds itself in hot waters, with the ECB seeking a perfect leader to pull them out of this mud.
Though local media reported that the ECB was keen on approaching veteran batter Joe Root for the role, his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/joe-root-eyes-india-tests-ashes-but-not-englands-white-ball-captaincy-jos-buttler-8900879" rel="dofollow">outright refusal led to the onus falling on two cricketers</a>. With Brook, the ECB can risk testing his leadership skills, but in a proven leader like Stokes, they can know he can get the job done.&nbsp;
Morgan, however, feels the ECB can find a way to make Stokes, doesn&rsquo;t play white-ball cricket solely to maintain his fitness and prolong his Test career, the &lsquo;flexible white-ball captain.
"I think a bit of a left-field call would be to ask Ben Stokes to consider the role, not necessarily on a full-time basis.
"You would have to create an environment where Ben would slip in and out seamlessly in preparation for big tournaments and then sit on the back burner and focus on Test match cricket until those big tournaments came up,&rdquo; Morgan suggested.
<h2>Why Brook over Stokes?</h2>
Morgan offered another suggestion as to why Brook could answer all questions, saying if the board is looking at three to four years from now, Brook is the right choice.&nbsp;
"If you highlight something that's in three years, four years, somebody like Harry Brook would do a magnificent job," Morgan said. "He had the captaincy at the end of our summer last year against a really strong Australian side and I thought he was impressive.
"We know Harry Brook as this incredibly talented player that we're seeing grow and get better year on year, which is just a joy to watch. But the leadership role didn't seem to weigh on him,&rdquo; he noted.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Morgan thinks ECB has two options to choose for England’s white-ball captaincy, explaining all will depend on which direction they wish to move forward.

When the only England captain to have won an ODI World Cup throws suggestions into a bowl for the ECB to pick from, they do it. Eoin Morgan thinks the board has two options to choose for England’s white-ball captaincy, explaining all will depend on which direction they wish to move forward. Morgan handpicked Harry Brook and Ben Stokes as Buttler’s replacement as the ODI and T20I captain. "I think there are a couple of options, and the options are dependent solely on the direction they want to take,” Morgan said in a chat with Sky Sports. "I think it's imperative that you will always have a target in mind. With the recent form the side, particularly in white-ball cricket, has had, you can't go out and all of a sudden try and win absolutely everything. You need to paint a picture moving forward as to what you're driving all of your energy towards,” he continued. Also read | IPL 2025: One year after Ahmedabad crowd booed Hardik Pandya, MI captain receives loudest cheer at toss – WATCH England’s ODI cricket rose from the ashes of the 2015 ODI World Cup debacle to winning the next WC four years later at home, and Morgan was at the centre of things. However, after several years of domination in white-ball cricket, their ODI game finds itself in hot waters, with the ECB seeking a perfect leader to pull them out of this mud. Though local media reported that the ECB was keen on approaching veteran batter Joe Root for the role, his outright refusal led to the onus falling on two cricketers. With Brook, the ECB can risk testing his leadership skills, but in a proven leader like Stokes, they can know he can get the job done. Morgan, however, feels the ECB can find a way to make Stokes, doesn’t play white-ball cricket solely to maintain his fitness and prolong his Test career, the ‘flexible white-ball captain. "I think a bit of a left-field call would be to ask Ben Stokes to consider the role, not necessarily on a full-time basis. "You would have to create an environment where Ben would slip in and out seamlessly in preparation for big tournaments and then sit on the back burner and focus on Test match cricket until those big tournaments came up,” Morgan suggested. Why Brook over Stokes? Morgan offered another suggestion as to why Brook could answer all questions, saying if the board is looking at three to four years from now, Brook is the right choice. "If you highlight something that's in three years, four years, somebody like Harry Brook would do a magnificent job," Morgan said. "He had the captaincy at the end of our summer last year against a really strong Australian side and I thought he was impressive. "We know Harry Brook as this incredibly talented player that we're seeing grow and get better year on year, which is just a joy to watch. But the leadership role didn't seem to weigh on him,” he noted. (With inputs from agencies)

Eoin Morgan explains how Ben Stokes could become England’s ‘flexible’ ODI captain

Something is brewing behind the scenes in England cricket. Despite the IPL and the BCCI listing out repercussions for those opting out of a season if not injured or for unavoidable reasons, England star batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook" rel="dofollow">Harry Brook</a> pulled out of the ongoing 18th edition to prioritise the national team, thus facing a two-year ban. Former opener Nick Knight explains why English cricketers have lately begun pulling their names out of the cash-rich league.
It&rsquo;s not the first time England players have pulled their names out of the IPL. Brook decided to pull out last year, although for personal reasons, while several top English cricketers, including Joe Root and Ben Stokes, decided against registering for the IPL auction. However, Brook and seamer Brydon Carse will not feature in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>, with only ten players from England participating.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bcci-was-right-in-banning-harry-brook-for-ipl-2025-pullout-says-moeen-ali-8862219" rel="dofollow">BCCI was right in banning Harry Brook for IPL 2025 pullout, says Moeen Ali</a>
<h2>Cramped schedule, and its side effects</h2>
Considering the jam-packed international calendar, with all boards trying to protect their all-format players, the ECB is not behind, trying to keep their best players safeguarded from exertion. The ECB is doing everything to ensure their top cricketers pick playing for the national team ahead of participating in such lucrative leagues worldwide.
With England hosting India for five Tests right after the IPL and later travelling Down Under for the marquee away Ashes, ECB chief Robert Key wants all its players fit and available for selection; Knight feels there's nothing wrong with that.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/boost-for-england-as-former-captain-makes-grand-return-to-cricket-for-wcl-2025-alastair-cook-world-championship-of-legends-8895324" rel="dofollow">Boost for England as former captain makes grand return to cricket for WCL 2025</a>
"Rob Key, who is in charge back at the ECB, has basically tried to - and he's fairly right - encouraged his players to play as much for England [as possible]," Nick Knight said on ESPNcricinfo's T20 TimeOut show.&nbsp;
"They've got a five-Test series against India. They've got an Ashes to follow. They've got multi-format players, like Harry Brook and Mark Wood - they're pretty well looked after now. And they're going to have to be looked after.
"There's a bit of that influence. So they perhaps don't need to travel and play in all these leagues around the world. There are other leagues popping up as well. If you're not going to get the full price [at the IPL auctions] that perhaps you might want to get, you might want to play in another league. So there are a number of these sorts of factors flying around for some of these players,&rdquo; he continued.
Meanwhile, the ten English players to feature this season are - Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Phil Salt and Reece Topley.&nbsp;
Although Delhi Capitals approached opener Ben Duckett as Brook&rsquo;s replacement, the English batter decided to stay away.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Considering the jam-packed international calendar, with all boards trying to protect their all-format players, the ECB is not behind.

Something is brewing behind the scenes in England cricket. Despite the IPL and the BCCI listing out repercussions for those opting out of a season if not injured or for unavoidable reasons, England star batter Harry Brook pulled out of the ongoing 18th edition to prioritise the national team, thus facing a two-year ban. Former opener Nick Knight explains why English cricketers have lately begun pulling their names out of the cash-rich league. It’s not the first time England players have pulled their names out of the IPL. Brook decided to pull out last year, although for personal reasons, while several top English cricketers, including Joe Root and Ben Stokes, decided against registering for the IPL auction. However, Brook and seamer Brydon Carse will not feature in IPL 2025, with only ten players from England participating. Also read | BCCI was right in banning Harry Brook for IPL 2025 pullout, says Moeen Ali Cramped schedule, and its side effects Considering the jam-packed international calendar, with all boards trying to protect their all-format players, the ECB is not behind, trying to keep their best players safeguarded from exertion. The ECB is doing everything to ensure their top cricketers pick playing for the national team ahead of participating in such lucrative leagues worldwide. With England hosting India for five Tests right after the IPL and later travelling Down Under for the marquee away Ashes, ECB chief Robert Key wants all its players fit and available for selection; Knight feels there's nothing wrong with that. Also read | Boost for England as former captain makes grand return to cricket for WCL 2025 "Rob Key, who is in charge back at the ECB, has basically tried to - and he's fairly right - encouraged his players to play as much for England [as possible]," Nick Knight said on ESPNcricinfo's T20 TimeOut show. "They've got a five-Test series against India. They've got an Ashes to follow. They've got multi-format players, like Harry Brook and Mark Wood - they're pretty well looked after now. And they're going to have to be looked after. "There's a bit of that influence. So they perhaps don't need to travel and play in all these leagues around the world. There are other leagues popping up as well. If you're not going to get the full price [at the IPL auctions] that perhaps you might want to get, you might want to play in another league. So there are a number of these sorts of factors flying around for some of these players,” he continued. Meanwhile, the ten English players to feature this season are - Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Phil Salt and Reece Topley. Although Delhi Capitals approached opener Ben Duckett as Brook’s replacement, the English batter decided to stay away. (With inputs from agencies)

ECB boss wants players to prioritise national team: Nick Knight on England cricketers opting out of IPL lately

England batter Harry Brook pulled out of the impending IPL season after getting picked by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/delhi-capitals" rel="dofollow">Delhi Capitals</a> at the mega auction late last year. Had it been the previous season, he would have gotten away with this, which he did, but, with the IPL council laying strict penalties for anyone doing so if not injured or for unavoidable reasons, that player shall be banned for two years, which happened with Brook. His former teammate Moeen Ali agrees with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/englands-harry-brook-banned-for-two-years-after-opting-out-of-ipl-report-8851296" rel="dofollow">BCCI for banning Brook</a>.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not harsh. I kind of agree with it, in a way, because a lot of people do that,&rdquo; Moeen Ali said on the podcast &ldquo;Beard Before Cricket.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/delhi-capitals-appoint-former-rcb-captain-as-axar-patels-deputy-ahead-of-ipl-2025-faf-du-plessis-8861904" rel="dofollow">DC appoint former RCB captain as Axar Patel&rsquo;s deputy ahead of IPL 2025</a>
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-harry-brook-opts-out-for-second-successive-season-faces-possible-two-year-ban-8838405" rel="dofollow">Brook pulled out of the cash-rich league for the second straight season</a> to stay committed to his national duty with the England Team. While Delhi Capitals purchased him for INR 6.25 crore, last year&rsquo;s runners-up, SunRisers Hyderabad, bagged Brook&rsquo;s services for INR 4 crore ahead of IPL 2024.
Moeen noted how plenty of players have done it before for their reasons, adding it's good that BCCI made a note of it by putting up a ban for up to two years. Moeen, who played for several IPL teams before, said when a player opts out at the last minute, he messes things up for the side that had, by then, prepared a chart on how to go about the season.
&ldquo;A lot of people have done it in the past, and then they come back in, and they end up getting a better financial package, or whatever it is. And he kind of messes a lot of things up as well at the same time,&rdquo; Moeen said. &ldquo;I mean, it&rsquo;s messed his team up, obviously, by pulling out. Any team that loses Harry Brook is messed up a bit, and they&rsquo;ve got to now rejig everything and stuff like that.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Forget him for a second, but if you do pull out, the rule is that you get a ban unless it&rsquo;s for family reasons or&hellip; due to injury or something. If it&rsquo;s injury or something, it&rsquo;s different. But I think if you just pull out, then it&rsquo;s&hellip; I kind of agree with the teams. You actually mess a lot of stuff up.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a top player. They&rsquo;ve probably picked the team around him, and then all of a sudden, you&rsquo;re pulling out,&rdquo; Ali noted.
<h2>Not harsh</h2>
Echoing Moeen&rsquo;s words, his former teammate and England international Adil Rashid spoke on the same lines, saying Brook knew from the beginning what the repercussions were, and since he did pull out despite knowing about them, BCCI&rsquo;s call to ban Brook wasn&rsquo;t harsh at all.&nbsp;
&ldquo;So, when you put your name in, you know if you pull out, this is going to happen. So, you know the consequences of it. So, I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s harsh.&nbsp;
&ldquo;No, but if you pull out and you have, like you say, an injury or whatever, then I think that&rsquo;s where something like the rules may differ or change in that way.
&ldquo;Not just him (Harry Brook), but&hellip; But this has been going on for, I don&rsquo;t know, for a little while, I reckon. Mo (Moeen Ali) has been in the IPL a lot longer, but in the past probably five, or ten years, a lot of players have been selected generally and have pulled out. So that&rsquo;s why they&rsquo;re trying to stop it that way,&rdquo; Rashid added.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Harry Brook pulled out of the cash-rich league for the second straight season to stay committed to his national duty with the England Team.

England batter Harry Brook pulled out of the impending IPL season after getting picked by Delhi Capitals at the mega auction late last year. Had it been the previous season, he would have gotten away with this, which he did, but, with the IPL council laying strict penalties for anyone doing so if not injured or for unavoidable reasons, that player shall be banned for two years, which happened with Brook. His former teammate Moeen Ali agrees with BCCI for banning Brook. “It’s not harsh. I kind of agree with it, in a way, because a lot of people do that,” Moeen Ali said on the podcast “Beard Before Cricket.” Also read | DC appoint former RCB captain as Axar Patel’s deputy ahead of IPL 2025 Brook pulled out of the cash-rich league for the second straight season to stay committed to his national duty with the England Team. While Delhi Capitals purchased him for INR 6.25 crore, last year’s runners-up, SunRisers Hyderabad, bagged Brook’s services for INR 4 crore ahead of IPL 2024. Moeen noted how plenty of players have done it before for their reasons, adding it's good that BCCI made a note of it by putting up a ban for up to two years. Moeen, who played for several IPL teams before, said when a player opts out at the last minute, he messes things up for the side that had, by then, prepared a chart on how to go about the season. “A lot of people have done it in the past, and then they come back in, and they end up getting a better financial package, or whatever it is. And he kind of messes a lot of things up as well at the same time,” Moeen said. “I mean, it’s messed his team up, obviously, by pulling out. Any team that loses Harry Brook is messed up a bit, and they’ve got to now rejig everything and stuff like that.” “Forget him for a second, but if you do pull out, the rule is that you get a ban unless it’s for family reasons or… due to injury or something. If it’s injury or something, it’s different. But I think if you just pull out, then it’s… I kind of agree with the teams. You actually mess a lot of stuff up. “He’s a top player. They’ve probably picked the team around him, and then all of a sudden, you’re pulling out,” Ali noted. Not harsh Echoing Moeen’s words, his former teammate and England international Adil Rashid spoke on the same lines, saying Brook knew from the beginning what the repercussions were, and since he did pull out despite knowing about them, BCCI’s call to ban Brook wasn’t harsh at all. “So, when you put your name in, you know if you pull out, this is going to happen. So, you know the consequences of it. So, I don’t think it’s harsh. “No, but if you pull out and you have, like you say, an injury or whatever, then I think that’s where something like the rules may differ or change in that way. “Not just him (Harry Brook), but… But this has been going on for, I don’t know, for a little while, I reckon. Mo (Moeen Ali) has been in the IPL a lot longer, but in the past probably five, or ten years, a lot of players have been selected generally and have pulled out. So that’s why they’re trying to stop it that way,” Rashid added. (With inputs from agencies)

BCCI was right in banning Harry Brook for IPL 2025 pullout, says Moeen Ali

England white-ball vice-captain Harry Brook is set to be banned for two years from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after he opted out of Delhi Capitals. Brook for the second consecutive season opted out of the IPL after he was purchased by Delhi Capitals in the November auctions. The ban means he won&rsquo;t be available for selection in the upcoming seasons while DC now search for other options.
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England Cricketer Harry Brook has been banned from playing in the IPL for the next two years after he withdrew himself after being selected in the auction: IPL Official
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1900196016806318444?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></blockquote>

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<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Harry Brook banned for two years</h2>
"England Cricketer Harry Brook has been banned from playing in the IPL for the next two years after he withdrew himself after being selected in the auction," a senior IPL official said as quoted by ANI.
As stated by the IPL governing council before the mega auctions in November, a player cannot withdrew from the upcoming season unless an independent body approves the same for any miscellaneous reason. For Brook his withdrawal was not approved by the IPL council, meaning he will have to sit out of the upcoming two seasons.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/aussie-t20i-skipper-mitchell-marsh-declared-fit-for-ipl-2025-after-missing-out-champions-trophy-with-injury-8849892" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Aussie T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh declared fit for IPL 2025 after missing out Champions Trophy with injury</a>
Brook has been in fine form for England and recently scored a brilliant triple hundred against Pakistan in the Test format. He played a key role in England&rsquo;s 2022 T20 World Cup win and has been an all-format player for Brendon McCullum&rsquo;s side. The fine form had also seen him get promoted to vice-captain&rsquo;s role.
"I have made the very difficult decision to pull out of the upcoming IPL," Brook had said in a statement. "I apologise unreservedly to the Delhi Capitals and their supporters."
"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,&rdquo; Brook added.

Sports, Cricket, IPL: England white-ball vice-captain Harry Brook is set to be banned for two years from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after he opted out of Delhi Capitals.

England white-ball vice-captain Harry Brook is set to be banned for two years from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after he opted out of Delhi Capitals. Brook for the second consecutive season opted out of the IPL after he was purchased by Delhi Capitals in the November auctions. The ban means he won’t be available for selection in the upcoming seasons while DC now search for other options. England Cricketer Harry Brook has been banned from playing in the IPL for the next two years after he withdrew himself after being selected in the auction: IPL Official — ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2025 Harry Brook banned for two years "England Cricketer Harry Brook has been banned from playing in the IPL for the next two years after he withdrew himself after being selected in the auction," a senior IPL official said as quoted by ANI. As stated by the IPL governing council before the mega auctions in November, a player cannot withdrew from the upcoming season unless an independent body approves the same for any miscellaneous reason. For Brook his withdrawal was not approved by the IPL council, meaning he will have to sit out of the upcoming two seasons. ALSO READ | Aussie T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh declared fit for IPL 2025 after missing out Champions Trophy with injury Brook has been in fine form for England and recently scored a brilliant triple hundred against Pakistan in the Test format. He played a key role in England’s 2022 T20 World Cup win and has been an all-format player for Brendon McCullum’s side. The fine form had also seen him get promoted to vice-captain’s role. "I have made the very difficult decision to pull out of the upcoming IPL," Brook had said in a statement. "I apologise unreservedly to the Delhi Capitals and their supporters." "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's Harry Brook banned for two years after opting out of IPL 2025 - Report

England batter Harry Brook has withdrawn from the upcoming 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the second consecutive year, putting him at risk of a two-year ban from future editions of the cash-rich league. Watch to know more!

England's Harry Brook pulls out of IPL 2025, risks 2-year ban

England batter Harry Brook has withdrawn from the upcoming 18th season of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league" rel="dofollow">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) for the second consecutive year, putting him at risk of a two-year ban from future editions of the cash-rich league.
As per ESPNCricinfo, Brook&rsquo;s withdrawal was conveyed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) last week and later communicated to his franchise, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/delhi-capitals" rel="dofollow">Delhi Capitals</a> (DC). DC had acquired Brook for $716,000 (₹6.25 crore) in the last auction. Neither the IPL nor Brook has provided an official reason for his decision.&nbsp;
However, he is considered a frontrunner to replace Jos Buttler as England&rsquo;s white-ball captain following the team&rsquo;s poor performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup and their failure to qualify for the ICC <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy" rel="dofollow">Champions Trophy</a>. With 18 months remaining on his central contract and his commitments as an all-format player, workload management could be a contributing factor.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/it-is-hosted-by-us-shoaib-akhtar-hits-out-pcb-for-missing-out-presentation-ceremony-after-champions-trophy-final-8838283">'It is hosted by us': Shoaib Akhtar hits out PCB for missing out presentation ceremony after Champions Trophy final</a>
<h2 data-start="283" data-end="1008">What the rule says</h2>
Brook&rsquo;s withdrawal may trigger a two-year IPL ban, as per a rule introduced ahead of the 2025 mega auction. The rule, established in response to multiple last-minute withdrawals, states: "Any overseas player who registers for the auction and, after being picked, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season will be banned from participating in the IPL and IPL auction for two seasons. The only exception will be for an injury or medical condition, which must be confirmed by the player's home board."
Last year, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook" rel="dofollow">Brook</a> pulled out of the IPL to be with his family following his grandmother&rsquo;s passing, which also led him to miss England&rsquo;s Test series in India. He was part of the Delhi Capitals squad but was released ahead of the 2025 mega-auction.
The upcoming IPL season for Delhi begins on March 24, with Delhi Capitals facing Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). In addition to finding a replacement for Brook, Capitals has yet to announce their captain for the season.
Brook previously played in the 2023 edition for Sunrisers Hyderabad, scoring 190 runs in 11 matches at an average of 22.11. His standout performance was a century against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Brook's move to pull out from the league was conveyed by the officials of England and Wales Cricket Board to the Board of Control for Cricket in India last week

England batter Harry Brook has withdrawn from the upcoming 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the second consecutive year, putting him at risk of a two-year ban from future editions of the cash-rich league. As per ESPNCricinfo, Brook’s withdrawal was conveyed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) last week and later communicated to his franchise, Delhi Capitals (DC). DC had acquired Brook for $716,000 (₹6.25 crore) in the last auction. Neither the IPL nor Brook has provided an official reason for his decision. However, he is considered a frontrunner to replace Jos Buttler as England’s white-ball captain following the team’s poor performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup and their failure to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy. With 18 months remaining on his central contract and his commitments as an all-format player, workload management could be a contributing factor. Also Read: 'It is hosted by us': Shoaib Akhtar hits out PCB for missing out presentation ceremony after Champions Trophy final What the rule says Brook’s withdrawal may trigger a two-year IPL ban, as per a rule introduced ahead of the 2025 mega auction. The rule, established in response to multiple last-minute withdrawals, states: "Any overseas player who registers for the auction and, after being picked, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season will be banned from participating in the IPL and IPL auction for two seasons. The only exception will be for an injury or medical condition, which must be confirmed by the player's home board." Last year, Brook pulled out of the IPL to be with his family following his grandmother’s passing, which also led him to miss England’s Test series in India. He was part of the Delhi Capitals squad but was released ahead of the 2025 mega-auction. The upcoming IPL season for Delhi begins on March 24, with Delhi Capitals facing Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). In addition to finding a replacement for Brook, Capitals has yet to announce their captain for the season. Brook previously played in the 2023 edition for Sunrisers Hyderabad, scoring 190 runs in 11 matches at an average of 22.11. His standout performance was a century against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Harry Brook opts out for second successive season, faces possible two-year ban

England&rsquo;s white-ball cricket is in mud (be it) for its performances in the One-Dayers and lack of leadership options. Since their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/dismal-england-end-champions-trophy-2025-campaign-on-winless-note-as-south-africa-win-group-b-8769237" rel="dofollow">Champions Trophy 2025 exit</a>, having lost all three group stage matches, regular captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/jos-buttler-steps-down-from-england-white-ball-captaincy-after-dismal-champions-trophy-2025-run-8766159" rel="dofollow">Jos Buttler stood down from the position</a>. Former England captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/nasser-hussain" rel="dofollow">Nasser Hussain</a> has picked Buttler&rsquo;s replacement, naming the emerging all-format batter Harry Brook to succeed him as the next captain.
Brook is an obvious choice to replace Buttler, having previously led the international side against Australia late last summer. Hussain, however, also discussed the possibility of ECB bringing back ousted names like James Vince and Sam Billings, making them lead the white-ball units before putting the entire onus on Brook. &nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-marco-jansen-unfazed-by-semis-pressure-as-south-africa-enter-familiar-knockout-territory-8770502" rel="dofollow">Champions Trophy: Jansen unfazed by semis pressure as South Africa enter familiar knockout territory</a>
"Harry Brook is the obvious candidate to take over. He did it at the end of the summer against Australia," Hussain said of Brook, who leads the race to replace Buttler as England&rsquo;s white-ball captain.
"He's the obvious one with the amount of important cricket coming up for England. Do you want to put that pressure on a young man who's got an India series at home, an Ashes away and then a World Cup T20 in India and Sri Lanka? Or do you go to a stopgap, James Vince, Sam Billings, Lewis Gregory, seasoned, domestic, franchise captains to just do it for a while?&rdquo; he continued.
Hussain feels England must look forward and bring someone like Brook, who is talented and energetic and has shown glimpses of turning into a beast leader, which England&rsquo;s white-ball side needs.&nbsp;
"I think personally England don't look back, they look forward. If they think Brook is the next captain, they go to him as soon as possible so he can start learning about being captain. But obviously, the caveat is then there will be a lot on his plate,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;
<h2>&lsquo;It&rsquo;s the best job in the world until&hellip;&rsquo;</h2>
Hussain, who had led England for four years (in Tests) from 1999 to 2003, thinks with no captaincy burden, Buttler can return to his (attacking) best.&nbsp;
"It's always very sad when an England captain has to feel like he has to stand down, and he was incredibly emotional walking out," Hussain said.
"It's the best job in the world until you have to give it away, and for one more day, he's England's white-ball captain, and the next day he's not. I can tell you that really hurts you. It's the best job in cricket.
"It's the right thing to do. His own form has diminished since he's been captain, especially in the last couple of years. He's England's best white-ball player, and the captaincy is not that good that it balances off the runs he should be getting,&rdquo; he concluded.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Jos Buttler lost 22 of his 34 One-Day Internationals as permanent skipper since succeeding Eoin Morgan in 2022. ECB will seek options for his replacement.

England’s white-ball cricket is in mud (be it) for its performances in the One-Dayers and lack of leadership options. Since their Champions Trophy 2025 exit, having lost all three group stage matches, regular captain Jos Buttler stood down from the position. Former England captain Nasser Hussain has picked Buttler’s replacement, naming the emerging all-format batter Harry Brook to succeed him as the next captain. Brook is an obvious choice to replace Buttler, having previously led the international side against Australia late last summer. Hussain, however, also discussed the possibility of ECB bringing back ousted names like James Vince and Sam Billings, making them lead the white-ball units before putting the entire onus on Brook. Also read | Champions Trophy: Jansen unfazed by semis pressure as South Africa enter familiar knockout territory "Harry Brook is the obvious candidate to take over. He did it at the end of the summer against Australia," Hussain said of Brook, who leads the race to replace Buttler as England’s white-ball captain. "He's the obvious one with the amount of important cricket coming up for England. Do you want to put that pressure on a young man who's got an India series at home, an Ashes away and then a World Cup T20 in India and Sri Lanka? Or do you go to a stopgap, James Vince, Sam Billings, Lewis Gregory, seasoned, domestic, franchise captains to just do it for a while?” he continued. Hussain feels England must look forward and bring someone like Brook, who is talented and energetic and has shown glimpses of turning into a beast leader, which England’s white-ball side needs. "I think personally England don't look back, they look forward. If they think Brook is the next captain, they go to him as soon as possible so he can start learning about being captain. But obviously, the caveat is then there will be a lot on his plate,” he added. ‘It’s the best job in the world until…’ Hussain, who had led England for four years (in Tests) from 1999 to 2003, thinks with no captaincy burden, Buttler can return to his (attacking) best. "It's always very sad when an England captain has to feel like he has to stand down, and he was incredibly emotional walking out," Hussain said. "It's the best job in the world until you have to give it away, and for one more day, he's England's white-ball captain, and the next day he's not. I can tell you that really hurts you. It's the best job in cricket. "It's the right thing to do. His own form has diminished since he's been captain, especially in the last couple of years. He's England's best white-ball player, and the captaincy is not that good that it balances off the runs he should be getting,” he concluded. (With inputs from agencies)

Hussain throws weight behind emerging star to replace Buttler as England’s next white-ball captain

Former India all-rounder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/irfan-pathan">Irfan Pathan</a> took a subtle dig at the England team after India broke records at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday (Feb 2) to seal a comprehensive150-run victory over the touring side.
In the final game of the enticing five-match series, India broke the shackles to script an emphatic win over England, concluding the series on a high note.&nbsp;Abhishek Sharma's power-hitting took centerstage. He muscled the ball to pick effortless boundaries, keeping the fans at the edge of their seats.
His fiery 135 lit up the entire Wankhede Stadium as India's total reached 247/9. While defending the mammoth total, England floundered in front of a clinical bowling display from the hosts. The visiting side could barely last for 11 overs, folding on 97 and succumbing to a 150-run defeat.
The five-match affair saw a couple of heated remarks from current and former English players. After India cruised to a comfortable 7-wicket victory in the series opener at Eden Gardens,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook">Harry Brook</a> made a comment that triggered India fans and forced a reaction from former cricketers.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/michael-bevan-inducted-into-australias-cricket-hall-of-fame-8685410" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Michael Bevan inducted into Australia's cricket Hall Of Fame</a> Brook blatantly blamed smog in Kolkata, which made it hard for the England batters to pick India spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakaravarthy">Varun Chakravarthy</a> during a press conference.
"Chakravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler. He is tough to pick, and actually, with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick as well. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here, and we can see the ball a bit easier," the England vice-captain had said as quoted from Wisden.
After India's memorable success at Wankhede Stadium, Irfan took a cheeky dig at the English team. He hinted at Brook's 'smog' remark while congratulating India for an emphatic 4-1 series win.
"The score line of #INDvENG was Smog &amp; trouble-free for team India well done boys," Irfan wrote on X.&nbsp;
See the post here:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The score line of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> was Smog &amp; trouble free for team India 🇮🇳 well done boys.
&mdash; Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) <a href="https://twitter.com/IrfanPathan/status/1886088918275109234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sports, Cricket: Harry Brook blatantly blamed smog in Kolkata, which made it hard for the England batters to pick India spinner Varun Chakravarthy during a press conference

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan took a subtle dig at the England team after India broke records at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday (Feb 2) to seal a comprehensive150-run victory over the touring side. In the final game of the enticing five-match series, India broke the shackles to script an emphatic win over England, concluding the series on a high note. Abhishek Sharma's power-hitting took centerstage. He muscled the ball to pick effortless boundaries, keeping the fans at the edge of their seats. His fiery 135 lit up the entire Wankhede Stadium as India's total reached 247/9. While defending the mammoth total, England floundered in front of a clinical bowling display from the hosts. The visiting side could barely last for 11 overs, folding on 97 and succumbing to a 150-run defeat. The five-match affair saw a couple of heated remarks from current and former English players. After India cruised to a comfortable 7-wicket victory in the series opener at Eden Gardens, Harry Brook made a comment that triggered India fans and forced a reaction from former cricketers. Also Read: Michael Bevan inducted into Australia's cricket Hall Of Fame Brook blatantly blamed smog in Kolkata, which made it hard for the England batters to pick India spinner Varun Chakravarthy during a press conference. "Chakravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler. He is tough to pick, and actually, with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick as well. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here, and we can see the ball a bit easier," the England vice-captain had said as quoted from Wisden. After India's memorable success at Wankhede Stadium, Irfan took a cheeky dig at the English team. He hinted at Brook's 'smog' remark while congratulating India for an emphatic 4-1 series win. "The score line of #INDvENG was Smog & trouble-free for team India well done boys," Irfan wrote on X. See the post here: The score line of #INDvENG was Smog & trouble free for team India 🇮🇳 well done boys. — Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 2, 2025

This former Indian cricketer takes cheeky dig at England with 'smog' remark after India's T20I series win

England batter Harry Brook had a tough outing in the second T20I against India in Chennai, getting out clean bowled by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakravarthy" rel="dofollow">Varun Chakravarthy</a> on 11; however, what added salt to the injury was the commentators&rsquo; roasting of him for his &lsquo;smog remark&rsquo;. Veteran broadcasters Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar, alongside former English captain Michael Vaughan (on social media), took sly digs at Brook for his failure against spin for the second straight game.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6d5vd02-oyoor9jk-rxn9inff">
Much Smog in Chennai ? Just asking &hellip; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a>
&mdash; Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1883161598774378691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Similarly, to how he got deceived and out bowled to Varun in the series opener at the Eden Gardens, where he blamed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2nd-t20i-smog-cost-england-in-kolkata-chennai-clear-weather-should-help-our-batters-harry-brook-8650287" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Kolkata smog&rsquo; for his and England&rsquo;s batting failure</a>, Brook suffered the same fate at the Chepauk, with Varun&rsquo;s mystery delivery tearing into his stumps, leaving Brook amused and smiling over it.
&ldquo;Chakaravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler. But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here, and we can see the ball a bit easier," Harry Brook had said after the first T20I in Kolkata.
Watch -
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6d5sotr-zb1uet4j-fr3z52km">
Through the gates! 🎯 The in-form Varun Chakaravarthy strikes in his very first over ⚡️⚡️ Follow The Match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i">https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/chakaravarthy29?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chakaravarthy29</a> <a href="https://t.co/NddoPmTlDo">pic.twitter.com/NddoPmTlDo</a>
&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1883155321855832189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
The newly-appointed England T20I vice-captain, Brook scored a four and a six during his brief stay at the crease (13 off eight balls) before Varun sent him packing on the third ball of his first over. That dismissal again triggered an almost batting collapse for England before handy contributions from the lower order propelled them to a fighting 165 for nine in 20 overs.
Meanwhile, Gavaskar and Shastri, calling out the game, took digs at Brook.
"You don't need the smog. Once again, it is Varun Chakravarthy. This has sneaked through, and it's crashed into the stumps," Shastri said.&nbsp;
The former Indian captain Gavaskar didn&rsquo;t take a second before jumping onto the same, adding,
&ldquo;You said it, you said it. The light is clearer here. In Kolkata, there was some smog. No smog here. Had no idea where the ball was going. Harry Brook gone for 13. Chakravarthy is maybe asking, 'Is there any smog there'?&rdquo;
<h2>Tilak wins it for India</h2>
India took a 2-0 lead in this five-match series with a close two-wicket win over England in Chennai. A match that almost went to the wire had everything for everyone - be it the spinners, pacers or the batters having a go in a nail-biting finish.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6d5t3t1-yr32p2m8-pi31e537">
2️⃣-0️⃣ 🙌 Tilak Varma finishes in style and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> register a 2-wicket win in Chennai! 👌 Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i">https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/d9jg3O02IB">pic.twitter.com/d9jg3O02IB</a>
&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1883201668915118548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
The English bowlers might have done enough to help the side square the series, but India&rsquo;s T20I specialist <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/tilak-varma" rel="dofollow">Tilak Varma</a> inflicted some agony on them with his match-winning knock (72* off 55 balls). He weathered the express pace storm and with little luck on his side, helped <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-tilak-varma-leads-from-front-as-india-beat-england-in-chennai-t20i-take-2-0-lead-in-series-8653984" rel="dofollow">India win the game in the last over</a>.
Rajkot will host the third T20I on Tuesday (Jan 28).&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Veteran Indian broadcasters, alongside a former English captain, took sly digs at Brook for his failure against spin for the second straight game.

England batter Harry Brook had a tough outing in the second T20I against India in Chennai, getting out clean bowled by Varun Chakravarthy on 11; however, what added salt to the injury was the commentators’ roasting of him for his ‘smog remark’. Veteran broadcasters Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar, alongside former English captain Michael Vaughan (on social media), took sly digs at Brook for his failure against spin for the second straight game. Much Smog in Chennai ? Just asking … #INDvENG — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) January 25, 2025 Similarly, to how he got deceived and out bowled to Varun in the series opener at the Eden Gardens, where he blamed ‘Kolkata smog’ for his and England’s batting failure, Brook suffered the same fate at the Chepauk, with Varun’s mystery delivery tearing into his stumps, leaving Brook amused and smiling over it. “Chakaravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler. But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here, and we can see the ball a bit easier," Harry Brook had said after the first T20I in Kolkata. Watch - Through the gates! 🎯 The in-form Varun Chakaravarthy strikes in his very first over ⚡️⚡️ Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @chakaravarthy29 pic.twitter.com/NddoPmTlDo — BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2025 The newly-appointed England T20I vice-captain, Brook scored a four and a six during his brief stay at the crease (13 off eight balls) before Varun sent him packing on the third ball of his first over. That dismissal again triggered an almost batting collapse for England before handy contributions from the lower order propelled them to a fighting 165 for nine in 20 overs. Meanwhile, Gavaskar and Shastri, calling out the game, took digs at Brook. "You don't need the smog. Once again, it is Varun Chakravarthy. This has sneaked through, and it's crashed into the stumps," Shastri said. The former Indian captain Gavaskar didn’t take a second before jumping onto the same, adding, “You said it, you said it. The light is clearer here. In Kolkata, there was some smog. No smog here. Had no idea where the ball was going. Harry Brook gone for 13. Chakravarthy is maybe asking, 'Is there any smog there'?” Tilak wins it for India India took a 2-0 lead in this five-match series with a close two-wicket win over England in Chennai. A match that almost went to the wire had everything for everyone - be it the spinners, pacers or the batters having a go in a nail-biting finish. 2️⃣-0️⃣ 🙌 Tilak Varma finishes in style and #TeamIndia register a 2-wicket win in Chennai! 👌 Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/d9jg3O02IB — BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2025 The English bowlers might have done enough to help the side square the series, but India’s T20I specialist Tilak Varma inflicted some agony on them with his match-winning knock (72* off 55 balls). He weathered the express pace storm and with little luck on his side, helped India win the game in the last over. Rajkot will host the third T20I on Tuesday (Jan 28). (With inputs from agencies)

IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Harry Brook roasted over ‘smog remark’ after Chepauk failure

Harry Brook reflected on his team&rsquo;s failed batting performance against India in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-1st-t20i-live-score-today-india-vs-england-latest-scorecard-jan-22-ind-vs-eng-playing-xi-prediction-pitch-report-toss-timing-venue-eden-gardens-kolkata-8644275" rel="dofollow">first T20I in Kolkata</a>. Looking back at how they fared at the Eden Gardens after being asked to bat first, Brook said &lsquo;smog&rsquo; made it tougher for him and other visiting batters to pick the ball, adding he is expecting a clear weather at the Chepauk (in Chennai).
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jos-buttler?page=24" rel="dofollow">Jos Buttler</a>&rsquo;s England side scored just 132, with the captain scoring the bulk of runs (68). Though Brook (17) and Buttler tried saving England&rsquo;s sinking ship (after losing two early wickets to Arshdeep Singh),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/95-of-my-focus-is-on-myself-says-wrist-spinner-varun-chakaravarthy-8647159">Varun Chakaravarthy</a>&rsquo;s twin strike in the 8th over broke their back, and wickets kept tumbling after that.
&ldquo;Chakaravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler,&rdquo; Brook said ahead of the second T20I against India in Chennai. &ldquo;But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here, and we can see the ball a bit easier.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/no-indian-in-iccs-odi-team-of-the-year-2024-4-sri-lankans-3-pakistani-included-afghanistan-west-indies-8649889" rel="dofollow">No Indian in ICC&rsquo;s ODI Team of the Year 2024; 3 Afghanistan players included</a>
Although Brook is among the best Test batters going around, having scored plenty of runs in red-ball cricket lately and even having a T20 World Cup title to boast about in the shortest format, he admits struggling to take on spin like he does to pace.
&ldquo;Facing spin in T20 cricket is probably the hardest thing in the game, especially because I always get out trying to absolutely smack it. Maybe I&rsquo;ve got to rein in a little bit, but we&rsquo;ll see,&rdquo; Brook said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think I do have a method. It&rsquo;s just trying to do it consistently and more often. I come in the middle order, so the first few balls I face are usually off-spin." &ldquo;If I get out early, it&rsquo;s usually against a spinner, so maybe my stats aren&rsquo;t as good against spin, but there&rsquo;s always going to be criticism in some parts,&rdquo; he continued.
<h2>Changes to England Team for 2nd T20I</h2>
Following the thrashing they suffered in the first T20I in Kolkata, England are bound to make a few changes to their line-up.
For the next T20I in Chepauk, traditionally a spin-friendly venue, scheduled on Saturday (Jan 25), England have replaced seamer Gus Atkinson with Brydon Carse, while rookie all-rounder Jacob Bethell is also facing a health scare and missed Friday&rsquo;s training. England has called up keeper-batter Jamie Smith as his backup.
India lead England 1-0 in the five-match T20I series.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket Sports: Following the thrashing they suffered in the first T20I at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, England are bound to make a few changes to their line-up.

Harry Brook reflected on his team’s failed batting performance against India in the first T20I in Kolkata. Looking back at how they fared at the Eden Gardens after being asked to bat first, Brook said ‘smog’ made it tougher for him and other visiting batters to pick the ball, adding he is expecting a clear weather at the Chepauk (in Chennai). Jos Buttler’s England side scored just 132, with the captain scoring the bulk of runs (68). Though Brook (17) and Buttler tried saving England’s sinking ship (after losing two early wickets to Arshdeep Singh), Varun Chakaravarthy’s twin strike in the 8th over broke their back, and wickets kept tumbling after that. “Chakaravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler,” Brook said ahead of the second T20I against India in Chennai. “But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully, the air is a bit clearer here, and we can see the ball a bit easier.” Also read | No Indian in ICC’s ODI Team of the Year 2024; 3 Afghanistan players included Although Brook is among the best Test batters going around, having scored plenty of runs in red-ball cricket lately and even having a T20 World Cup title to boast about in the shortest format, he admits struggling to take on spin like he does to pace. “Facing spin in T20 cricket is probably the hardest thing in the game, especially because I always get out trying to absolutely smack it. Maybe I’ve got to rein in a little bit, but we’ll see,” Brook said. “I think I do have a method. It’s just trying to do it consistently and more often. I come in the middle order, so the first few balls I face are usually off-spin." “If I get out early, it’s usually against a spinner, so maybe my stats aren’t as good against spin, but there’s always going to be criticism in some parts,” he continued. Changes to England Team for 2nd T20I Following the thrashing they suffered in the first T20I in Kolkata, England are bound to make a few changes to their line-up. For the next T20I in Chepauk, traditionally a spin-friendly venue, scheduled on Saturday (Jan 25), England have replaced seamer Gus Atkinson with Brydon Carse, while rookie all-rounder Jacob Bethell is also facing a health scare and missed Friday’s training. England has called up keeper-batter Jamie Smith as his backup. India lead England 1-0 in the five-match T20I series. (With inputs from agencies)

'Smog' cost England in Kolkata - Harry Brook's bizarre excuse for 1st T20I loss

Greg Chappell has used Harry Brook&rsquo;s name in the same breath as that of veteran Sachin Tendulkar, saying Brook&rsquo;s sensational performances and approach remind him of the Indian great. The former Team India head coach, who had a prime Sachin under his wings, said Brook&rsquo;s rise to the top in such a brief period looked like outpacing Sachin regarding the impact on the game at the same age.
&ldquo;Harry Brook, a batting sensation whose performances and approach I compare to the great Sachin Tendulkar,&rdquo; Greg Chappell wrote in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/australia-test-star-steve-smith-smashes-record-third-bbl-hundred-on-return-8609971" rel="dofollow">Test star Steve Smith smashes record third BBL ton on return - Watch</a>
&ldquo;Remarkably, Brook&rsquo;s early career stats suggest he might even have outpaced the Indian maestro in terms of impact at the same stage,&rdquo; the Aussie great added.
Brook is England&rsquo;s batting mainstay across formats and is among their top run-getters in Tests since emerging on the international scene. At 25, Brook has won a T20 World Cup, drew the home Ashes against Australia, and holds plenty of batting records &ndash; most of which belonged to some of the best batters in history.&nbsp;
In 24 Tests played thus far, Brook has scored 2281 runs at an average of 58.48, with eight Test centuries and ten fifties to his name.&nbsp;
&ldquo;At just 25, Brook has rapidly become one of the most talked-about cricketers in the world. He boasts a simple but devastatingly effective batting method.
&ldquo;Much like Tendulkar in his early years, Brook doesn&rsquo;t move excessively in the crease before the ball is delivered,&rdquo; Chappell continued.
<h2>Comparing the two</h2>
While Sachin broke onto the cricket scene as a teenager, Brook made his international debut three years ago as a 22-year-old. Comparing the two, Chappell noted that Brook's numbers are better than Sachin after the first ten Tests, and like the Indian maestro, Brook&rsquo;s ability to combine aggression with consistency makes him hard to contain.&nbsp;
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&ldquo;Comparing their first 15 Tests reveals an eye-opening narrative. Tendulkar scored 837 runs at an average of just under 40, with a couple of centuries. Brook, in contrast, had made 1378 runs at an average of nearly 60, with five hundreds,&rdquo; Chappell said.
&ldquo;To be fair, Sachin was still a teenager while Brook is in his mid-20s.
&ldquo;Brook&rsquo;s ability to combine aggression with consistency makes him a nightmare for bowlers because, much like Tendulkar, he&rsquo;s incredibly hard to contain.
&ldquo;For England, he&rsquo;s not just a bright prospect; he&rsquo;s a player around whom their future could be built,&rdquo; Chappell added.
<h3>What makes Brook and Tendulkar special?</h3>
A fantastic Test batter of his time, Chappell, explains what makes these two batters special.
&ldquo;Brook&rsquo;s stability and minimalistic technique allow him to read the angles of the bowler and adjust his strokes with precision. The result? An extraordinary ability to score from most deliveries, whether they&rsquo;re pitched full, short, or on an awkward length.
&ldquo;Tendulkar&rsquo;s early brilliance lay in his ability to use the bowler&rsquo;s pace to his advantage, scoring heavily on both sides of the wicket. Brook, though a bigger and more powerful player physically, has a strikingly similar ability to manipulate the field with wristy flicks, crunching drives, and punishing back-foot shots,&rdquo; Chappell added.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Chappell said Harry Brook’s rise to the top in such a brief period looked like surpassing Sachin regarding the impact on the game at the same age.

Greg Chappell has used Harry Brook’s name in the same breath as that of veteran Sachin Tendulkar, saying Brook’s sensational performances and approach remind him of the Indian great. The former Team India head coach, who had a prime Sachin under his wings, said Brook’s rise to the top in such a brief period looked like outpacing Sachin regarding the impact on the game at the same age. “Harry Brook, a batting sensation whose performances and approach I compare to the great Sachin Tendulkar,” Greg Chappell wrote in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald. Also read | Test star Steve Smith smashes record third BBL ton on return - Watch “Remarkably, Brook’s early career stats suggest he might even have outpaced the Indian maestro in terms of impact at the same stage,” the Aussie great added. Brook is England’s batting mainstay across formats and is among their top run-getters in Tests since emerging on the international scene. At 25, Brook has won a T20 World Cup, drew the home Ashes against Australia, and holds plenty of batting records – most of which belonged to some of the best batters in history. In 24 Tests played thus far, Brook has scored 2281 runs at an average of 58.48, with eight Test centuries and ten fifties to his name. “At just 25, Brook has rapidly become one of the most talked-about cricketers in the world. He boasts a simple but devastatingly effective batting method. “Much like Tendulkar in his early years, Brook doesn’t move excessively in the crease before the ball is delivered,” Chappell continued. Comparing the two While Sachin broke onto the cricket scene as a teenager, Brook made his international debut three years ago as a 22-year-old. Comparing the two, Chappell noted that Brook's numbers are better than Sachin after the first ten Tests, and like the Indian maestro, Brook’s ability to combine aggression with consistency makes him hard to contain. Also read | BCCI overrides KL Rahul's break request, asks him to play England ODIs “Comparing their first 15 Tests reveals an eye-opening narrative. Tendulkar scored 837 runs at an average of just under 40, with a couple of centuries. Brook, in contrast, had made 1378 runs at an average of nearly 60, with five hundreds,” Chappell said. “To be fair, Sachin was still a teenager while Brook is in his mid-20s. “Brook’s ability to combine aggression with consistency makes him a nightmare for bowlers because, much like Tendulkar, he’s incredibly hard to contain. “For England, he’s not just a bright prospect; he’s a player around whom their future could be built,” Chappell added. What makes Brook and Tendulkar special? A fantastic Test batter of his time, Chappell, explains what makes these two batters special. “Brook’s stability and minimalistic technique allow him to read the angles of the bowler and adjust his strokes with precision. The result? An extraordinary ability to score from most deliveries, whether they’re pitched full, short, or on an awkward length. “Tendulkar’s early brilliance lay in his ability to use the bowler’s pace to his advantage, scoring heavily on both sides of the wicket. Brook, though a bigger and more powerful player physically, has a strikingly similar ability to manipulate the field with wristy flicks, crunching drives, and punishing back-foot shots,” Chappell added. (With inputs from agencies)

Harry Brook receives grandest praise with comparison to Tendulkar

England's Harry Brook replaced countryman Joe Root to become the new No. 1 batter in the latest ICC Test Rankings for batters. On the updated list released on Wednesday (Dec 11), Brook was rewarded for his sensational run in his side's ongoing three-match Test series versus New Zealand, in New Zealand. The right-hander has impressed with scores of 171, 123 and 55 to take the numero uno position. Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant are the only two Indian batters in the top ten.

Here is the updated list:&nbsp;

ICC Test Rankings For Batters

1. Harry Brook - 898 rating points 
2. Joe Root - 897 rating points 
3. Kane Williamson - 812 rating points 
4. Yashasvi Jaiswal - 811 rating points 
5. Travis Head - 781 rating points 
6. Kamindu Mendis - 759 rating points 
7. Temba Bavuma - 753 rating points 
8. Darly Mitchell - 729 rating points 
9. Rishabh Pant - 724 rating points 
10. Saud Shakeel - 724 rating points

Meanwhile, Australia's Travis Head also returned to the top 10 following his match-winning 140-run knock versus India in the recently-held Adelaide Test.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/india-tour-of-england-2025-ticket-demand-for-second-test-in-edgbaston-sets-new-record-783196">India tour of England 2025: Ticket demand for second Test in Edgbaston sets new record</a>

Indian batters in Top 35

Yashasvi Jaiswal (No. 4) 
Rishabh Pant (No. 9) 
Shubman Gill (No. 17) 
Virat Kohli (No. 20) 
Rohit Sharma (No. 31)

The likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have suffered massive drops following the second Test between India and Australia, at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. In the second Test, of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), Rohit returned with scores of 3 for 6 to drop five places. Kohli, who scored a ton in the series opener in Perth, flopped in the pink-ball contest and, as a result, suffered a drop of six places.&nbsp;

Talking about the bowlers, Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah remains at the top. There is only one change in the top five with R Ashwin being replaced by Australian skipper Pat Cummins at the No. 4 spot. Cummins ended the Adelaide Test with a five-fer in the second innings.

ICC Test Rankings For Bowlers

1. Jasprit Bumrah - 890 rating points 
2. Kagiso Rabada - 856 rating points 
3. Josh Hazlewood - 851 rating points 
4. Pat Cummins - 816 rating points 
5. R Ashwin - 797 rating points 
6. Ravindra Jadeja - 786 rating points 
7. Nathan Lyon - 779 rating points 
8. Prabath Jayasuriya - 768 rating points 
9. Matt Henry - 764 rating points 
10. Noman Ali - 759 rating points

England's Harry Brook replaced countryman Joe Root to become the new No. 1 batter in the latest ICC Test Rankings for batters. On the updated list released on Wednesday (Dec 11), Brook was rewarded for his sensational run in his side's ongoing three-match Test series versus New Zealand, in New Zealand.

England's Harry Brook replaced countryman Joe Root to become the new No. 1 batter in the latest ICC Test Rankings for batters. On the updated list released on Wednesday (Dec 11), Brook was rewarded for his sensational run in his side's ongoing three-match Test series versus New Zealand, in New Zealand. The right-hander has impressed with scores of 171, 123 and 55 to take the numero uno position. Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant are the only two Indian batters in the top ten. Here is the updated list: ICC Test Rankings For Batters 1. Harry Brook - 898 rating points 2. Joe Root - 897 rating points 3. Kane Williamson - 812 rating points 4. Yashasvi Jaiswal - 811 rating points 5. Travis Head - 781 rating points 6. Kamindu Mendis - 759 rating points 7. Temba Bavuma - 753 rating points 8. Darly Mitchell - 729 rating points 9. Rishabh Pant - 724 rating points 10. Saud Shakeel - 724 rating points Meanwhile, Australia's Travis Head also returned to the top 10 following his match-winning 140-run knock versus India in the recently-held Adelaide Test. Also read: India tour of England 2025: Ticket demand for second Test in Edgbaston sets new record Indian batters in Top 35 Yashasvi Jaiswal (No. 4) Rishabh Pant (No. 9) Shubman Gill (No. 17) Virat Kohli (No. 20) Rohit Sharma (No. 31) The likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have suffered massive drops following the second Test between India and Australia, at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. In the second Test, of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), Rohit returned with scores of 3 for 6 to drop five places. Kohli, who scored a ton in the series opener in Perth, flopped in the pink-ball contest and, as a result, suffered a drop of six places. Talking about the bowlers, Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah remains at the top. There is only one change in the top five with R Ashwin being replaced by Australian skipper Pat Cummins at the No. 4 spot. Cummins ended the Adelaide Test with a five-fer in the second innings. ICC Test Rankings For Bowlers 1. Jasprit Bumrah - 890 rating points 2. Kagiso Rabada - 856 rating points 3. Josh Hazlewood - 851 rating points 4. Pat Cummins - 816 rating points 5. R Ashwin - 797 rating points 6. Ravindra Jadeja - 786 rating points 7. Nathan Lyon - 779 rating points 8. Prabath Jayasuriya - 768 rating points 9. Matt Henry - 764 rating points 10. Noman Ali - 759 rating points

ICC Test Rankings: Harry Brook replaces Joe Root to become No. 1, Virat and Rohit suffer massive drops

England’s legendary batter Joe Root has hailed youngster Harry Brook as the ‘best in the world’ as he continues to impress in 2024. Brook played a key role in England’s latest away success after they beat New Zealand 2-0 with a Test to go on Sunday (Dec 8). According to Root, Brook is by far the best player in the world considering his impact on the game. The English batter scored 123 and 55 in the Wellington Test while completing 1000 runs in Tests in 2024.

<h2>Root hails Brook after a stellar year</h2>

"If you asked me, Brooky is by far and away the best player in the world at the minute," Root said on Monday (Dec 9).

"He has such an all-round game: he can absorb pressure, he can apply it, he can whack you over your head for six, he can scoop you over his head for six, he can smack spin, he can smack seam. He's so hard to bowl to."

With 1,099 Test runs in 18 innings (at the time of writing), Brook is the fourth-highest run-getter in the red-ball format. He remains one of the consistent performers in the side having averaged 61.05 with a best of 317 against Pakistan recently. During the marathon innings, he was accompanied by Root as they stitched a stand of 454 runs for the fourth wicket in Multanin October.

The partnership is also the highest for any England pair, highlighting the batting impact of Brook.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-2024-25-doesnt-deserve-kapil-dev-on-jasprit-bumrah-replacing-rohit-sharma-as-india-test-skipper-782768">BGT 2024-25: 'Doesn't deserve...,' Kapil Dev on Jasprit Bumrah replacing Rohit Sharma as India Test skipper</a>

All of 25, Brook will look to make a significant impact in all three formats as England look to reclaim their dominance.

He will be next in action on Saturday (Dec 14) when Ben Stokes’ side takes on New Zealand in the third and final Test match with pride up for stakes. Despite pocketing the series 2-0, visitors will push for a whitewash having already won in Christchurch and Wellington.

England’s legendary batter Joe Root has hailed youngster Harry Brook as the ‘best in the world’ as he continues to impress in 2024. Brook played a key role in England’s latest away success after they beat New Zealand 2-0 with a Test to go on Sunday (Dec 8).

England’s legendary batter Joe Root has hailed youngster Harry Brook as the ‘best in the world’ as he continues to impress in 2024. Brook played a key role in England’s latest away success after they beat New Zealand 2-0 with a Test to go on Sunday (Dec 8). According to Root, Brook is by far the best player in the world considering his impact on the game. The English batter scored 123 and 55 in the Wellington Test while completing 1000 runs in Tests in 2024. Root hails Brook after a stellar year "If you asked me, Brooky is by far and away the best player in the world at the minute," Root said on Monday (Dec 9). "He has such an all-round game: he can absorb pressure, he can apply it, he can whack you over your head for six, he can scoop you over his head for six, he can smack spin, he can smack seam. He's so hard to bowl to." With 1,099 Test runs in 18 innings (at the time of writing), Brook is the fourth-highest run-getter in the red-ball format. He remains one of the consistent performers in the side having averaged 61.05 with a best of 317 against Pakistan recently. During the marathon innings, he was accompanied by Root as they stitched a stand of 454 runs for the fourth wicket in Multanin October. The partnership is also the highest for any England pair, highlighting the batting impact of Brook. ALSO READ | BGT 2024-25: 'Doesn't deserve...,' Kapil Dev on Jasprit Bumrah replacing Rohit Sharma as India Test skipper All of 25, Brook will look to make a significant impact in all three formats as England look to reclaim their dominance. He will be next in action on Saturday (Dec 14) when Ben Stokes’ side takes on New Zealand in the third and final Test match with pride up for stakes. Despite pocketing the series 2-0, visitors will push for a whitewash having already won in Christchurch and Wellington.

NZ vs ENG: Joe Root hails 'best player in the world' Harry Brook after stellar 2024

Gus Atkinson claimed a hat-trick before England's batsmen let loose to power the visitors 533 runs ahead of New Zealand on Saturday and in full control of the second Test. The home side will need to chase an enormous score in the fourth innings after England went to stumps at 378-5 in Wellington on day two.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/nz-vs-eng-2nd-test-gus-atkinson-wheels-away-in-celebration-after-completing-first-career-hat-trick-watch-782174">NZ vs ENG, 2nd Test: Gus Atkinson cartwheels in celebration after completing first career hat-trick - WATCH</a>

Captain Ben Stokes resisted any urge to declare, instead cementing England's position of power as four batters posted half-centuries to build on their first-innings advantage of 155.

Joe Root was at the crease on 73 while Stokes struck a whirlwind 35 not out against a tiring attack, after Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett were both dismissed in the 90s.

The fast-moving nature of the Test means the Black Caps should have ample time to reach any target, as they bid to square the three-match series after losing the opener in Christchurch by eight wickets.

However, history is firmly against them. The highest successful fourth-innings chase at the Basin Reserve is 274, achieved by Pakistan against the hosts in 2003.

New Zealand's hopes of getting back into the Test were scuppered in the opening 40 minutes of play when they lost their last five wickets to be all out 125.

Atkinson (4-31) removed the last three with successive deliveries to become the first Englishman to claim a Test hat-trick since Moeen Ali against South Africa seven years ago.

The seamer was all smiles after bowling Nathan Smith for 14, then having Matt Henry caught in the gully and trapping Tim Southee lbw.

<h2>Bethell crestfallen</h2>

England made batting look a lot easier, most notably when Bethell (96) and Duckett (92) combined for an untroubled 187-run second-wicket stand.

Bethell fell agonisingly short of a maiden Test ton when edging Southee to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell. The 21-year-old looked crestfallen as he exited after a 118-ball knock which featured 10 fours and three sixes.

Opener Duckett was closing on his fifth Test ton when he played-on off Southee (2-72), ending an innings of 112 balls.

First-Test centurion Harry Brook reached 55 before being caught in the deep off spinner Glenn Phillips while Root put some modest recent form behind him to post another batting milestone.

Root became only the fourth player to reach 50 runs in 100 different Test innings.

Ollie Pope fell for 10 off seamer Matt Henry (2-76), who earlier dismissed Zak Crawley for eight, continuing a lean series for the opener. In 19 Test innings against the Black Caps, Crawley has scored just 193 runs at an average of 10.15.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Gus Atkinson claimed a hat-trick before England's batsmen let loose to power the visitors 533 runs ahead of New Zealand on Saturday and in full control of the second Test.

Gus Atkinson claimed a hat-trick before England's batsmen let loose to power the visitors 533 runs ahead of New Zealand on Saturday and in full control of the second Test. The home side will need to chase an enormous score in the fourth innings after England went to stumps at 378-5 in Wellington on day two. ALSO READ: NZ vs ENG, 2nd Test: Gus Atkinson cartwheels in celebration after completing first career hat-trick - WATCH Captain Ben Stokes resisted any urge to declare, instead cementing England's position of power as four batters posted half-centuries to build on their first-innings advantage of 155. Joe Root was at the crease on 73 while Stokes struck a whirlwind 35 not out against a tiring attack, after Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett were both dismissed in the 90s. The fast-moving nature of the Test means the Black Caps should have ample time to reach any target, as they bid to square the three-match series after losing the opener in Christchurch by eight wickets. However, history is firmly against them. The highest successful fourth-innings chase at the Basin Reserve is 274, achieved by Pakistan against the hosts in 2003. New Zealand's hopes of getting back into the Test were scuppered in the opening 40 minutes of play when they lost their last five wickets to be all out 125. Atkinson (4-31) removed the last three with successive deliveries to become the first Englishman to claim a Test hat-trick since Moeen Ali against South Africa seven years ago. The seamer was all smiles after bowling Nathan Smith for 14, then having Matt Henry caught in the gully and trapping Tim Southee lbw. Bethell crestfallen England made batting look a lot easier, most notably when Bethell (96) and Duckett (92) combined for an untroubled 187-run second-wicket stand. Bethell fell agonisingly short of a maiden Test ton when edging Southee to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell. The 21-year-old looked crestfallen as he exited after a 118-ball knock which featured 10 fours and three sixes. Opener Duckett was closing on his fifth Test ton when he played-on off Southee (2-72), ending an innings of 112 balls. First-Test centurion Harry Brook reached 55 before being caught in the deep off spinner Glenn Phillips while Root put some modest recent form behind him to post another batting milestone. Root became only the fourth player to reach 50 runs in 100 different Test innings. Ollie Pope fell for 10 off seamer Matt Henry (2-76), who earlier dismissed Zak Crawley for eight, continuing a lean series for the opener. In 19 Test innings against the Black Caps, Crawley has scored just 193 runs at an average of 10.15. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Wellington Test: England’s lead cross 530 as batters make merry after Atkinson’s first Test hat-trick vs NZ

Harry Brook has continued his impressive form in 2024 by slamming his eight hundred in the Test format against New Zealand on Friday (Dec 6). The English batter in process also joined fellow England batsmen Joe Root, Ben Duckett and Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal in completing 1000 Test runs in 2024. Brook has been in impressive form in 2024 and has also scored a triple ton against Pakistan during his side’s recent tour.

<h2>Brook joins Root, Jaiswal</h2>

Playing at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Day 1 of the second Test match, Brook was the stand-out batter for the visitors. He completed his fourth Test ton of the calendar year before getting out for a well-made 123 off 115. He scored with a strike rate of over 100 and also amassed 5 sixes and 11 fours before getting out. He was given a good helping hand from wicketkeeper-batter Ollie Pope before he was&nbsp; scalped for 66. &nbsp;

At the time Brook got out, his runs stood at 1044&nbsp;in 17 innings in 2024 with Root (1364 runs) and Jaiswal (1280 runs) sitting above him.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-202425-rohit-sharma-returns-to-lead-team-india-in-adelaide-ravi-ashwin-shubman-gill-back-in-playing-xi-781883">BGT 2024/25: Rohit Sharma returns to lead Team India in Adelaide; Ravi Ashwin, Shubman Gill back in Playing XI</a>

<h2>England bowled out on Day 1</h2>

Despite Brook and Pope’s heroics, England were bowled out for 280 in 54.4 overs with only three more batters scoring in double digits. Interestingly, the partnership of Brook-Pope stitched a stand of 174 runs for the fifth wicket. England consolidated their score&nbsp;from being 43/4 to 217/4 after an early batting collapse, but they failed to build up&nbsp;on the Brook-Pope partnership and lost their last six wickets for 63 runs.

Nathan Smith bagged four wickets while William ORourke ended with figures of 49/3 to help the hosts bowl out England.

At Stumps on Day 1, New Zealand were 86/5 and still trailed by 194 runs in the first innings. Former skipper Kane Williamson top-scored with 37 runs before he was dismissed by Brydon Carse. William ORourke (0) and Tom Blundell (7) were in the middle at Stumps with&nbsp;big Day 2 awaiting for the Kiwis.

Harry Brook has continued his impressive form in 2024 by slamming his eight hundred in the Test format against New Zealand on Friday (Dec 6). The English batter in process also joined fellow England batsmen Joe Root, Ben Duckett and Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal in completing 1000 Test runs in 2024.

Harry Brook has continued his impressive form in 2024 by slamming his eight hundred in the Test format against New Zealand on Friday (Dec 6). The English batter in process also joined fellow England batsmen Joe Root, Ben Duckett and Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal in completing 1000 Test runs in 2024. Brook has been in impressive form in 2024 and has also scored a triple ton against Pakistan during his side’s recent tour. Brook joins Root, Jaiswal Playing at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Day 1 of the second Test match, Brook was the stand-out batter for the visitors. He completed his fourth Test ton of the calendar year before getting out for a well-made 123 off 115. He scored with a strike rate of over 100 and also amassed 5 sixes and 11 fours before getting out. He was given a good helping hand from wicketkeeper-batter Ollie Pope before he was scalped for 66. At the time Brook got out, his runs stood at 1044 in 17 innings in 2024 with Root (1364 runs) and Jaiswal (1280 runs) sitting above him. ALSO READ | BGT 2024/25: Rohit Sharma returns to lead Team India in Adelaide; Ravi Ashwin, Shubman Gill back in Playing XI England bowled out on Day 1 Despite Brook and Pope’s heroics, England were bowled out for 280 in 54.4 overs with only three more batters scoring in double digits. Interestingly, the partnership of Brook-Pope stitched a stand of 174 runs for the fifth wicket. England consolidated their score from being 43/4 to 217/4 after an early batting collapse, but they failed to build up on the Brook-Pope partnership and lost their last six wickets for 63 runs. Nathan Smith bagged four wickets while William ORourke ended with figures of 49/3 to help the hosts bowl out England. At Stumps on Day 1, New Zealand were 86/5 and still trailed by 194 runs in the first innings. Former skipper Kane Williamson top-scored with 37 runs before he was dismissed by Brydon Carse. William ORourke (0) and Tom Blundell (7) were in the middle at Stumps with big Day 2 awaiting for the Kiwis.

NZ vs ENG: Harry Brook joins Joe Root, Yashasvi Jaiswal with 1000 Test runs in 2024

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