Brook weighs in on Pat Cummins’ potential absence, saying the uncertainty will play into England’s hands in the series.
Brook: Cummins’ Ashes doubts ‘play into England’s hands’.
As always, Harry Brook is the straightforward Yorkshireman. On Friday night, he will take a plane to New Zealand to captain six white-ball internationals, but he is aware that the most pressing question among England supporters is whether he will carry the Ashes urn back to England from Australia in January. To which he said, “I bloody hope so.”
Despite England’s terrible recent record in Australia, the news that Pat Cummins is becoming less and less likely to play in the opening Test has given them a sense of quiet hope about this winter’s series. Andrew McDonald said on Friday that Cummins is “running out of time” before November 21 despite Australia downplaying the severity of his back ailment.
Although it would be unfortunate for the series, Cummins’ absence may only improve England’s chances. Australia has “a hell of a lot of good bowlers” who could fill in, according to Brook, but England is aware that Cummins’ combination of skill, pace, and leadership is unmatched.
“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, which is Brook’s second Ashes series but his first in the nation where England has lost 13 of their last 15 Test matches, will be the most difficult test of his career to date. Although he has only played in Pakistan and New Zealand, he has amassed an impressive away record—he has hit seven hundreds in his first eleven abroad Test matches—and he will go to Australia with an open mind.
“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.”