Harry Brook wants to be a captain England can rely on

Harry Brook wants to be a captain England supporters can rely on. With the tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka approaching, the England skipper says he has learned from the responsibility and wants to make a difference in decisive moments. Since he took charge of the 50-over side, England have won their last three series, having lost seven of the previous eight. Their T20 team currently sits top of the world rankings.

“I’ve learnt a lot as a captain, and a lot as a person,” Brook said. He enjoys the added responsibility and pressure. He does not expect to score runs every time he bats, but wants to be the player who can turn a match when the opportunity comes. “I want to be the man England fans and the team can rely on,” he said, acknowledging that some of his innings had fallen short of that standard.

Brook also described leadership as a responsibility that extends beyond the field. “Responsibilities and leadership aren’t just on the field; they matter even more off it, and actions speak louder than words.” In Wellington, in an incident involving a nightclub bouncer on the eve of an international match against the Black Caps, he says he put himself in a situation that was far from ideal. As the episode approaches its first anniversary, he says he has learned from it. Last summer, Brook was overlooked for the Test captaincy after Ben Stokes retired from international cricket. Brook had previously acknowledged that the incident could have cost him the white-ball captaincy.

His 50-over figures have improved since taking the job: Brook averages 51.3 runs per innings as captain, compared with 25.2 without the captaincy. With the 50-over World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia less than a year away, he says the squad is moving in the right direction and building towards the 2027 tournament. Brook and head coach Brendon McCullum believe they have cover in the squad should a player be unavailable shortly before the toss.

Brook, however, prefers to assess his contribution by its impact on results rather than by statistics alone. He keeps notes and judges whether his performances have helped win matches. Ben Stokes recently told him his Test average of 53.08 should be closer to 65 or 70. Brook reacted with surprise, calling those figures very high, and reiterated that statistics lack a column for match-winning performances.

The tri-series is his immediate focus. England begin against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, while Sri Lanka lost the opening match to the hosts. Brook sees the competition as a chance to gain experience, particularly in knockout games. Injured Jos Buttler and rested Jofra Archer are absent from England’s 16-player squad. Rehan Ahmed was left out, with Mason Crane preferred.