Harry Brook urged to mature as England prepare for Pakistan series

Harry Brook faces calls to mature as England prepare for their series against Pakistan, Ali Martin wrote in a column published on 17 August 2026. Martin argued Brook’s Test captaincy came too soon for the 27-year-old but said the Pakistan tour is the latest chapter in a year that could be the making of him.

Martin placed that argument in the context of the Bazball debate, noting the style still looms large in the aftermath of Bangladesh’s nine-wicket victory over Australia in Darwin, a result he described as a domination of the hosts over four days. The column said that outcome has prompted reflection among England’s rivals and raised questions about the chances England lost in last winter’s Ashes, suggesting a point made by some Australians that had England batted with the application Bangladesh showed — compiling a 400-plus total over 138 overs in a match-defining innings, Martin wrote — the 4-1 Ashes result might have been different.

Martin recounted recent moments in Brook’s England career, including his latest appearance in white-ball terms when he went down swinging against New Zealand and scored 21 off nine balls, an episode that reignited criticism. The piece contrasted a hypothetical scene in which Brook captained England at Headingley with the reality that Joe Root has been chosen as Ben Stokes’s successor, and quoted Rob Key saying the vacancy had come "too soon" for Brook. Martin also referred to the nightclub incident in Wellington last November as the trigger for the sequence of events that created the leadership vacancy.

The column reviewed Brook’s on-field errors, citing ill-judged shots in Perth and an attempt to "larrup" Mitchell Starc under lights in his first pink-ball Test, and noted his Ashes return was disappointing. Martin added that a year has passed since Brook’s last Test century and that the stand-up work of wicketkeepers Alex Carey and Tom Blundell has given him trouble, while also recording that Brendon McCullum was removed as England’s Test head coach after the 2-1 defeat by New Zealand.

Martin set out Brook’s underlying numbers: after 38 Tests he averages 53, has scored 10 centuries including a triple in Multan, and sits second in the Test batting rankings behind Travis Head. Citing CricViz, the column stated Brook attempts to hit 44% of deliveries to or over the boundary — a figure only Head can match — and that Brook looks to score off 65% of balls he faces while defending or leaving 35%, compared with an average 52/48 split for top-seven batters since Brook’s 2022 debut.

The piece catalogued Brook’s successes as well as his flaws, noting four centuries on Pakistan soil, including a career-best 317, and his 91-ball century in Wellington in late 2024 on a day when 15 wickets fell. Martin offered a personal view that Brook should have been player of the match in Melbourne last winter for a 41 on the opening day, and recorded Stuart Broad’s comment being lampooned previously; he also wrote that Ben Stokes told Brook he should be averaging "65, even 70" and quoted AB de Villiers: "Definitely don’t lose the aggressive nature of your batting or the creative side," De Villiers told For The Love of Cricket. "Just earn the right." Brook’s own words to BBC Sport were included: "I have the ability to hit it everywhere, I just have to figure it out quicker in games."

Martin additionally reported on England women’s selection news: Charlie Dean will captain England in next month’s three one-day internationals against Ireland in the absence of Nat Sciver-Brunt, having stood in during white-ball series against New Zealand and India and when Sciver-Brunt was injured in the T20 World Cup group stage. The column said Sciver-Brunt is managing her fitness and recovery, as is Danni Wyatt-Hodge, so they will miss the Ireland series alongside Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell and Amy Jones, and listed the England squad to face Ireland as: C Dean (captain), M Bouchier, A Capsey, K Chathli, T Corteen-Coleman, S Dunkley, L Filer, D Gibson, J Grewcock, F Kemp, R MacDonald-Gay, C Pavely, G Potts, M Villiers, I Wong.

Martin concluded that avoiding an over-correction could allow this difficult year to become the making of Brook, and that the upcoming Pakistan series provides the next opportunity for him to demonstrate the maturity those around him say he needs.