“I'm completely committed to playing cricket for England” - Harry Brook picks England dream over IPL riches 

Harry Brook, England’s newly appointed white-ball captain, has made a resounding statement about his priorities, pledging his full dedication to international cricket over lucrative franchise leagues.

In a candid conversation, the 26-year-old reaffirmed that representing the Three Lions remains his ultimate ambition, even if it means sidelining opportunities in global T20 competitions. 

With a Test triple-century against Pakistan and a T20 World Cup triumph in 2022 already under his belt, Brook is no stranger to the big stage. Now tasked with leading England’s white-ball revolution following Jos Buttler’s tenure, he is embracing the challenge with a clear focus.

"I just want to play cricket for England, represent my country like I have done over the last few years and hopefully have a big impact on the side moving forward," Brook said as quoted in a media interaction.

His choice, however, has not been without repercussions. Brook’s withdrawal from Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025), where he was set to play for Delhi Capitals (DC), led to a two-year ban from the tournament under new BCCI regulations, a consequence he accepted with resolve. 

"That's the rules, so if I do get banned, fair play. I'm completely committed to playing cricket for England. If that means franchise [cricket] takes a step back for a little while, so be it," Brook stated.

Also read: Harry Brook announced as England's white-ball captain

He acknowledged the grueling demands of a packed calendar that includes the Test series in India, the Ashes in Australia, a T20 World Cup in 2026, and various bilateral series.

"Missing the odd series wouldn't be a stupid thing. It's a lot of cricket, and I'm looking forward to all of it."

Brook’s leadership philosophy is refreshingly grounded in authenticity and enjoyment. 

 "I'm going to be myself, as much as I possibly can be. Be relaxed, be calm, try to have a lot of fun and enjoy it. If you're playing cricket for England, we're all living that dream. As a 10-year-old looking at yourself now, you'd be absolutely buzzing and over the moon. You've got to try to create that environment in the changing room and just remember that you're doing a job a hell of a lot of people would want to be doing."

He also left the door ajar for two of England’s biggest stars, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, signaling their comeback to the white-ball setup.

"With the schedule, he's (Stokes) not going to be available all the time. But he's one of the best players in the world and we'd be stupid to turn a blind eye to him."

"We've all seen that he can put the best bowlers in the world under pressure from their best balls and manipulate the field and score big runs. There's no reason why he can't get selected again," Brook concluded.

Brook will likely start his captaincy assignment when England hosts the West Indies for three ODIs and as many T20Is in May.

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