Harry Brook Will Cut Back On Franchise Cricket Now He's England Captain

Harry Brook Will Cut Back On Franchise Cricket Now He's England Captain (Image Source: X/Twitter)

Harry Brook has said he plans to reduce his involvement on the global franchise Twenty20 cricket circuit while he balances his new role as England white-ball captain with the burdens of being an all-format international.

The 26-year-old Yorkshire batsman, a rising star of the global game, was announced as the successor to former skipper Jos Buttler on Monday, with Brook given the task of reviving England's fortunes in both one-day international and Twenty20 cricket following lacklustre displays at recent global events.

Brook, however, is also a mainstay of England's batting line-up in red-ball cricket.

England have 11 Tests between now and the end of the Ashes in early January and Brook may also have to feature in 12 ODIs and 15 T20s to prepare for next year's T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin in February.

He forfeited a £590,000 ($754,000) deal with Delhi Capitals in the ongoing Indian Premier League in order to be free and fresh to play for England, having also pulled out of last year's IPL following the death of his grandmother.

Brook may now be ineligible for IPL selection until 2027 because of new tournament rules, but he insisted Tuesday he has no regrets.

"There's a lot of cricket coming up," he told the England and Wales Cricket Board's website in his first interview as limited-overs skipper.

"Having this period after deciding to pull out of the IPL was the right decision for me."

He added: "I'm not sure how much franchise cricket I'll be playing in the near future but my priority is definitely playing for England and trying to play as much cricket for England as I can."

Brook, the favourite to step up from his position as Buttler's deputy after England’s woeful Champions Trophy campaign in Pakistan in February, will begin his reign with the first of three ODIs against the West Indies on at Edgbaston on May 29.

He stressed he was on the "same page" with England coach Brendon McCullum, now in charge of the limited-overs teams as well as the Test side, about how to approach white-ball cricket.

"I just want us to play with aggression and be 100 percent committed to competing in whatever game we have coming up," Brook said.

"There's plenty of major tournaments coming up and we've got to keep that at the back of the mind but we've got to take one game at a time and be aggressive and competitive."