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It’s not just Ollie Pope who experiences diminishing test results after being elevated to a leadership position.
Harry Brook, the usually merciless captain of the Sri Lankan team, has not been the same since taking over as vice captain. All throughout, he has given up starts, and his four-inning average of 39.50 is by far the lowest of any series in which he has participated in several games.
Of course, the struggle is relative. Pope would gladly trade his 7.50 average for one of his deputy’s three thirty-odd runs that came after a solid 56 at Manchester in the first innings. It’s also accurate to suggest that they are handling their new roles in quite different ways.
Pope discussed the necessity to “block out the criticism” following England’s triumph at Lord’s, which gave them an unassailable 2-0 lead ahead of Friday’s third and final Test. Managing captaincy and batting is still difficult, at least for one more game. It will take more time to refute the subsequent assessments of his personality, especially when compared to the role model of regular men’s Test captain Ben Stokes.
Conversely, Brook appears to be the same as always. Usually calm and in fine form, even in the absence of a noteworthy score. “It’s not a massive role really, is it?” he said of vice-captaincy.
“I haven’t had to do much, to be honest. I think Popey has done an amazing job. I’ve tried to give him a few ideas here and there; he’s taken some and he’s shrugged some off so it’s been good so far.”
As for the runs, he is not worried: “[It’s] frustrating to get starts obviously, but I feel like I’m batting really well. And hopefully it’s just a matter of time when a big one comes.”
Captaincy has been a feature of Brook’s 2024 after taking the reins at Northern Superchargers in the men’s Hundred. “It was different, but it was good fun,” he said of the experience, which included working with new head coach Andrew Flintoff.
Superchargers lost just two games, although they were slightly outside of the top three in Net Run Rate. Despite missing the first match against Trent Rockets because it fell during the conclusion of the West Indies Test series, Brook made an impression with his tactical skills and calm approach, which helped him maintain his composure in a competitive environment. With 163, he was also the second-highest run scorer for the Superchargers.
When asked if he was eager to captain more, Brook gave a tactful “we’ll see” response. However, it’s evident that leadership is approaching. Josh Hull, 19, and Shoaib Bashir, 20, make up the current Test team, which has seven players between the ages of 23 and 27. Brook is an essential member of the core of England’s present and future.