Harry Brook is stepping up as a leader for England, reflecting on his growth as he approaches the one-year mark since an incident in Wellington that nearly cost him the captaincy. He stated his desire to be “the man England fans and the team rely on” after a tumultuous year that began with a nightclub altercation just hours before an ODI against New Zealand on Halloween last year.

Since that incident, Brook has revitalized a struggling England ODI side, leading them to three consecutive series victories after a disappointing stretch of seven losses in eight matches. The T20 team currently holds the top spot in the world rankings under his guidance.

With the 50-over World Cup approaching, Brook boasts an impressive ODI captaincy average of 51.3, a significant improvement from his overall average of 25.2. He acknowledges the lessons learned over the past year, emphasizing the importance of actions over words in leadership, stating, “Responsibilities and leadership aren’t just on the field, they’re more so off the field as well.”

Brook's Test average of 53.08 stands as the highest for any England batter in over 50 years, although former captain Ben Stokes suggested it could be even higher. Brook humorously responded, “I mean 65 or 70 is a massive average, isn’t it?”

Looking ahead, Brook’s focus shifts to the upcoming tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, starting on Tuesday in Rawalpindi. He confirmed the selection of Mason Crane over Rehan Ahmed, stating, “There’s certainly no line through Rehan’s name at all.” With injuries and rest affecting the squad, Brook remains optimistic about their potential, mentioning, “We’re certainly trending in the right direction as a squad.”