Harry Brook earned England World Cup call-up – but can he do it in India?

There are not many players who burst onto the scene in quite as explosive a way as Harry Brook has done since he made his England debut in an innocuous T20 against the West Indies in January 2022.

In autumn 2022 it was hard to envisage an England Test team without Jonny Bairstow after his mammoth performances in the first Bazball summer, but just a few months later, England had to re-adjust their side to find space for both Yorkshiremen.

In the winter of that year, when England returned to Pakistan for the first Test series there in 17 years, it was Brook who finished as the top run-scorer of the series, an average of 93.60 and he had all but made himself undroppable.

A maiden ODI call-up would soon follow in South Africa, January 2023. But there will undoubtedly be questions over whether he can achieve the same in a format played far less than the other two.

Ahead of his maiden 50-over World Cup, Brook has just six ODI caps to his name, and more to the point only 123 runs at an average of 20.50. It is far from world-beating.

Brook has many admirers in the game, not only for his batting but for his attitude and he is routinely well-liked in every dressing room he walks into, even when there is a language barrier. Just after the Ashes finished, the 24-year-old was already looking at The Hundred and declaring that he would play the first match if the Northern Superchargers would have him.

While that did not happen and he was allowed some time off, it is a desire to be out in the middle that has earned him many admirers, as well as his skill with bat in hand. Brook undoubtedly has the ability to play in all three formats for England and has succeeded on the subcontinent, not only for England in Pakistan but also during the 2022 Pakistan Super League.

Such were his performances during the winter in the subcontinent that there was a bidding war by IPL franchises in the hunt for his signature. He joined Sunrisers Hyderabad for over £1.3m, over nine times his base price.

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But in India, he was unable to replicate his feats in Pakistan and New Zealand. There was a stunning night at Eden Garden when he made a century and looked to have announced himself in the toughest of conditions against the best players in the game, but that one innings aside, it was not the most straightforward tournament.

He played 11 matches earlier this year, scoring 190 runs at an average of 21.11, so aside from the one big innings, it was not the success many had hoped for when he was signed for such a significant fee. Whether that was the skill of the bowlers, difficult conditions or any flaw in technique that has not been picked up on yet, remains to be seen.

Since the IPL Brook led England to victory over Australia in the third Ashes Test at his home ground of Headingley, as the home side fought back from 2-0 down to draw the series 2-2.

England have put their faith in the young batter, selecting Brook ahead of Jason Roy in their World Cup squad, despite Roy’s 116 caps, at an average of 39.91, and role during England’s success in 2019.

With Ben Stokes always on the brink of an injury, it is likely that Brook will be called on to play a part, perhaps a much larger part than earlier anticipated, and England will hope that he can make the step up and impress on the world stage.