Brook: Cummins' Ashes doubts 'play into England's hands'

Harry Brook is ever the straight-talking Yorkshireman. He will fly to New Zealand on Friday night to captain six white-ball internationals but knows that there is one question occupying England fans' minds more than any other: when he returns home from Australia in January, will he bring the Ashes urn with him? His response: "I bloody hope so."

England's recent record in Australia is dreadful, but their quiet optimism about this winter's series has been reinforced by the revelation that Pat Cummins is increasingly unlikely to play in the first Test. Australia have played down the severity of his back injury, but Andrew McDonald conceded on Friday that Cummins is "running out of time" before November 21.

Cummins' absence would be a shame for the series, but can only be seen as a boost to England's chances. Brook said that Australia have "a hell of a lot of good bowlers" who could deputise, but Cummins' package of leadership, pace and skill is impossible to replicate and England know as much.

"He is an amazing bowler and has been for many years," Brook said at Thursday night's PCA awards ceremony, in partnership with Toyota. "He bowls at high pace, with high skill. With him out of their side for the first game, from what we've seen, hopefully that plays into our hands… [But] we can't take anybody lightly."

The series will be the biggest challenge of Brook's career to date: it is his second Ashes series, but his first in the country where England have lost 13 of their last 15 Tests. He has built a remarkable away record - he has scored seven hundreds in his first 11 overseas Tests - but has only played in Pakistan and New Zealand, and will head down under with his eyes open.

"I don't know what I'm stepping into," Brook said. "I know it's a massive thing, but I'm still trying to get over that India series. That was awesome to be part of: to play 25 days out of 25 was mega. That was the most intense series I've ever been part of. If the Ashes tops that, I will be a very happy man.

"It is obviously intense. I can't even remember much about the 2023 Ashes, if I'm honest. It's a very similar group of players that we'll come up against: a very strong bowling attack and on home soil they'll present different challenges. I haven't had too much experience of the pitches out there, so I have to stay in the moment as much as possible and play what's in front of me."

Brook's experience in Australia is limited to a short spell at Hobart Hurricanes as a 22-year-old where he did "horrendously", and a walk-on role (56 runs in five innings) in England's T20 World Cup win three years ago. "I see white-ball and red-ball as completely different sports, if I'm being honest," he said. "I'm going out there with a clear mind."

He started manically in his first Ashes series, hooking compulsively as England let a strong position slip at Lord's, but played priceless innings in their wins at Headingley and The Oval to secure a 2-2 draw. His return of 363 runs at 40.33 featured four half-centuries in nine innings, and Brook played down the potential significance of scoring his first Ashes hundred on this tour.

"That's not something I really think about," he said. "I want to be a match-winner. If the team is in a little bit of trouble, I want to get us out of it, which so far in my career I've done fairly well. If that's getting 75 and getting us out of trouble for a little while and gets the team into a better position, I'd rather that than get a hundred and lose the game."

Another potential challenge for Brook in Australia is the prospect of captaining a Test match for the first time, after his appointment as Ben Stokes' deputy. He described the role as "an honour" but does not expect to be called upon: "I see Stokesy playing all five Tests, if I'm being honest. I think he'll power through, even if he has a little niggle."

Brook's promotion means a return to the ranks for Ollie Pope, whose position at No. 3 looks increasingly precarious - even if Brook described him as a "vital part" of England's side: "I dropped him a couple of messages a couple of weeks ago, talking about golf mainly. I don't think he's too bothered. He's just happy to still be in the squad."

Stokes has not played competitively since damaging a shoulder muscle while attempting to bowl England to victory in the drawn Manchester Test against India; perhaps Brook's biggest role as deputy will be to save him from himself: "Because he wants to bowl long spells, that can sometimes be to his detriment… Everybody in the world knows what he's like."