3 reasons why Harry Brook could be an excellent late inclusion in England's 2023 ODI World Cup squad
England batter Harry Brook was a surprising omission from the Jos Buttler-led squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup. Ben Stokes' decision to reverse his retirement from ODIs played a huge role in the decision, with England having too many options in the middle order.
Brook has only played three ODIs, scoring a fifty in his second appearance. He has notched 86 runs at a strike rate of 98.85 so far. His List A record reads 429 runs after 15 matches at a strike rate of 99.30 and an average of 30.64.
The decision to not include Harry Brook has been dissected by all, and it led to skipper Jos Buttler clarifying that the better is still in the scheme of things. He said ahead of the white-ball series against New Zealand:
"We all know Harry's a fantastic player and we saw what he can do the other night, it's not like it's a surprise, we know what a brilliant player he is. He's just the unfortunate one at the moment to not be in that squad. Ben Stokes coming back and being available just as a batter changes the dynamic a little bit."
Brook has also received a vote of confidence from former England player Kevin Pietersen, who has predicted that the batter will make it to the World Cup squad.
On that note, let us take a look at three reasons why Harry Brook could be an excellent late inclusion in England's 2023 World Cup squad.
#1 Excellent form
Since England's squad announcement, Harry Brook has changed gears and shown glimpses of a purple patch with his stint in the ongoing Hundred competition.
He scored an unbeaten 63 off just 27 deliveries in his first innings of the season for the Northern Superchargers. The right-handed batter went on to chip in with some handy cameos as the season progressed, and recently became the third cricketer from the men's division to score a century in the format.
Brook notched an unbeaten 105 off just 42 deliveries in a single-handed mammoth effort in a contest against the Welsh Fire. The second-highest scorer for the Superchargers was Adam Hose with 15 runs, highlighting Brook's dominance.
He has been selected in England's T20I squad for the New Zealand series and if he can keep up his form in the shortest format, he could potentially jump ship in time for the World Cup.
#2 Brook being an X-factor of sorts makes up for his lack of experience in ODIs
Much like Suryakumar Yadav, the English batter also transitioned into the ODI setup on the back of his T20I exploits in recent times. Another way in which the two batters are similar is the impact that they could potentially bring into the playing XI.
Brook has the ability to shift the momentum of the game in the space of a few overs, and such a release of pressure or shift is what teams desire in high-profile matches. The change in tempo could be all they need to get through a perilous situation and take the pole position.
Even though Brook has only played three ODIs over the course of his career, his ability is not even a question. His record across franchise and domestic cricket shows that England could be missing out on a player, even if he lacks experience in a traditional sense.
#3 Improved game against spin bowling
A huge point made against the batter has been his weakness against spin bowling. The right-handed batter has not played much white-ball cricket in the subcontinent, barring the flat pitches of Pakistan during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and a bilateral series.
Brook's maiden high-profile experience in the subcontinent came during the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. He came in with huge expectations after the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) bid ₹13.5 crore for his services.
However, his issues with spin were exploited straightaway as Ravi Bishnoi and Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed him across his first two matches in the competition. However, Brook put on a clinic against the famed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens to score a century. While he did not end up having a good tournament by any means, his technique and approach against spin bowling have improved.
With the World Cup taking place in subcontinent conditions, and Brook operating in the middle order, he must be proficient against spinners to make a case for himself. He has shown that in glimpses by rotating the strike well against them and changing gears once settled, or when required.
In T20 cricket, Brook holds a strike rate of 131 against the spinners, compared to 161 against pacers. Despite the sample size being quite less for ODIs and his appearances taking place in unfavorable conditions for spin, he has shown promise. In the 50-over format, he has a strike rate of 139 against spinners.
Will the batter make it to England's 2023 World Cup squad? Let us know what you think.