Harry Brook wants to draw a line under a “pretty horrendous” past few weeks as he prepares to lead England at the T20 World Cup.
More than three months on from Brook being punched by a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand, hours before captaining England, the saga took on fresh legs when the Yorkshireman claimed to have been on his own, only for the Daily Telegraph to uncover he was accompanied by Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue.
The matter is now being investigated by the Cricket Regulator, preventing Brook from elaborating on any elements of the night in question, but he has been fined by the England and Wales Cricket Board and given a final warning over his conduct.
Brook issued an apology via a statement for lying about being on his own – in a bid to shield his team-mates from blame – but speaking for the first time since that development, he is eager to move on.
Asked about how he has found being in the eye of the storm, Brook replied: “It has been pretty horrendous to be honest. It’s not been a very nice time of my life.
“All I do is hit a ball with a bat and that’s what I want to carry on doing for the rest of my career. I obviously made a mistake, I’ve got to try and put that behind me and focus on what’s more important.”
Brook revealed his agent and close confidante Brydon Carse have been especially helpful during the controversy, while he plans to take time after the T20 World Cup, which starts this weekend, to reflect on what happened.
He said: “I’ve definitely learned there’s a hell of a lot more responsibility on your shoulders when you’re captain. When you’re a leader, you can’t take that responsibility lightly and you’ve got to be on virtually all the time.”
It has been a turbulent time off the field for Brook, but England head into their bid for a third T20 crown on the back of winning two white-ball series in Sri Lanka, with their skipper back in the runs.
After a lean Ashes, Brook’s 57-ball hundred in an ODI and a brutal 36 off 12 deliveries in a T20 underlined his importance ahead of the 2010 and 2022 champions starting their latest campaign with a first-ever meeting in any format against Nepal in Mumbai on Sunday.
Brook said: “It’s weird, as a professional sportsman, when you get out to the wicket, and you’re a batter, everything just seems to float away. All you’re focusing on is that cricket ball.
“Even when the crowds are massive, sometimes you don’t even realise that there’s any noise when you’re batting, so, luckily, I got into that bubble, and I managed to bat fairly well.”
Phil Salt is fit to open alongside Jos Buttler at the Wankhede Stadium after missing Tuesday’s third T20 against Sri Lanka because of a back spasm and left-arm seamer Luke Wood has been preferred to fast bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton as England named their XI 24 hours out.
Tom Banton also got the nod over Ben Duckett, while England head into the contest with four spin options as frontliners Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson are complemented by Bethell and Will Jacks.
Brook added: “You look at India’s side, they’re one of the best sides to play T20 cricket at the minute, and they’ve got about five spinners, so why don’t we have a little bit of a crack at that as well?
“We’re not copying them. It’s more they have a hell of a lot more options than most of the countries. We feel like we’re in a really good space selection wise.”
