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Since making his international debut for England against the West Indies on January 26, 2022, the 25-year-old right-handed batter has scored 719 runs in 20 ODIs and 707 runs in 39 T20Is.
England appoint Harry Brook as new men’s white-ball vice captain. (Picture Credit: AFP)
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday took to X to confirm the appointment of star middle-order batter Harry Brook as the new vice-captain of England’s ODI and T20I team. The 25-year-old right-handed batter will serve as Jos Buttler’s deputy in the series against India, which starts on January 22 in Kolkata. Brook has played 20 ODIs and 39 T20Is for the English team since making his debut against the West Indies during a T20I match at Bridgetown on January 26, 2022.
Brook has served as England’s ODI captain on a temporary basis in the past. He was appointed as the team’s captain for the five-match series at home against Australia in September 2024 in the absence of Buttler.
Brook was preferred over the likes of all-rounder Liam Livingstone and wicketkeeper Phil Salt for the vice-captaincy job. Like Brook, Livingstone has also captained England in ODIs in the past, whereas Salt has served as England’s T20I captain in two matches last year.
Brook, who is in the race to win ICC Cricketer of the Year and ICC Test Cricketer of the Year awards, will be a key player for the English team in the upcoming series against India as well as the ICC Champions Trophy. England will play its three group stage matches of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, and the venue of the semifinal match will depend on India’s qualification.
Buttler to play as a specialist batter
England’s white-ball captain Buttler will play as a specialist batter in the T20I and ODI series against India. The announcement was made by England’s new white-ball head coach, Brendon McCullum, on Monday during the team’s pre-match press conference in Kolkata.
“I think he (Buttler) won’t be keeping wickets in this series. He’s going to catch them from the field, and I think that’s a really positive thing for us because it gives Jos the opportunity to have the last say with the bowler and to have that relationship build at their last second rather than being, you know, 22 yards away.”
In Buttler’s absence, it will be interesting to see who out of Salt and Jamie Smith keeps the wickets for the Three Lions in the series against India, which will help both teams to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
