Nasser Hussain has urged Harry Brook to mature after the England white-ball skipper was snubbed for the Test captaincy despite England cricket chief Rob Key confirming the decision was not related to his workload.
Test vice-captain Brook – who oversaw six wins in seven white-ball fixtures against an India side ranked No 1 in the world in July – was overlooked in favour of veteran Joe Root, who undertakes his second spell as Test captain after holding the role between 2017 and 2022.
With the Test team set to embark on a new chapter under incoming head coach Stephen Fleming, former England captain Hussain has rued what he feels is a “missed opportunity” for Brook to take the reins, amid a lack of other suitable candidates.
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“I think Harry Brook is a very good captain,” Hussain said on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast.
“He’s become England’s white-ball captain and he’s doing it very well.
“But with him are all these off-field antics and that immaturity – you need the mature Harry Brook to come out, and it’s been lacking.
“That’s why I’m a little bit disappointed in Harry himself, that I think there’s a very good captain in there. I think it’s a missed opportunity.
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“One of the things in [new head coach Stephen Fleming’s] in-tray will be to sit with Harry Brook and actually say, ‘we’ve had to [give the captaincy] to someone that may not actually want to do it’.
“The lad that will do anything for English cricket in Joe Root is doing it again for English cricket because we couldn’t trust you to do the job.
“Sort yourself out, Harry, because I think you should be the next England Test cricket captain.”
Key: Brook captaincy snub wasn’t related to white-ball workload
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Key, the managing director of England men’s cricket, has confirmed the decision to reappoint Root as Test captain was unrelated to Brook’s white-ball workload.
The Test vice-captain – who outgoing skipper Ben Stokes had backed to be his successor – made controversial headlines after being fined £50,000 for an incident involving a nightclub bouncer ahead of an ODI in New Zealand last winter.
“I just don’t feel like this is the right time for Harry Brook to be the Test captain,” Key told Sky Sports News.
“That was the reason for that decision. I also think it’s tough to do all three, but that didn’t really come into it.
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“We just felt that it was the right time for [Joe Root] and he’s the right man.
“Brook’s time will come. He’s done a brilliant job. He’s taken the T20 team to number one in the world. They’ve just beaten the world champions in 50-over cricket.
“That’s a year and a half into a project with him and Brendon McCullum. We’ve got three formats now where I’m so optimistic about what we can do in all three.”
No concerns over Root’s return, says Key
Key also backed Root to have a successful second spell at the helm, with England’s all-time leading Test run scorer set to lead the team out for a record-extending 66th Test as captain, after deputising for an absent Stokes in the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval.
Root returning to the position had seemed highly unlikely given that, upon stepping down in 2022 after one win from his final 17 Tests as skipper, he revealed his relationship with the role had become “very unhealthy” and cited the “toll” of his years in charge.
“Stephen and I have spoken at length about that and we both feel that Joe Root is by far away the best person to do this job,” Key said.
“Last time he did it, I mean I came into this job and it’s only then – when you see behind the curtain – do you realise what Joe Root had to put up with.
“His batting was outstanding and I feel I’m so excited to see Joe have the chance to captain the team without all of the distractions.”
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Root’s batting average dropped from 53.35 to 46.71 during his previous spell in charge, but Key has dispelled any doubts over whether Root has the drive to lead his country once again.
“I think he was really keen when he did it at The Oval. He was relishing that opportunity,” said Key.
“He now has a chance to go and show probably just how good a captain he can be.
“Joe Root scores runs and you feel the last time that he did it his game got better and better under the toughest of circumstances.
“No concerns [over a possible drop in form].”
England vs Pakistan Test series schedule
All times UK and Ireland, all games live on Sky Sports
- First Test (Headingley) – Wednesday August 19-Sunday August 23 (11am)
- Second Test (Lord’s) – Thursday August 27-Monday August 31 (11am)
- Third Test (Edgbaston) – Wednesday September 9-Sunday September 13 (11am)
Watch the three-Test series between England and Pakistan live on Sky Sports Cricket from August 19. Stream cricket and more sport contract-free with NOW.