Post by : Mariam
Al-Faris
England batter Harry Brook has said he will try to control his attacking style more against Australia after a difficult start to his first Ashes series. Brook admitted that some of his dismissals in the first two Tests came from poor shot selection and accepted that he needs to read match situations better. Despite scoring 52, 0, 31 and 15 so far, the 25-year-old feels his execution has not been as strong as it usually is in his career. He said that when England lost early wickets, he tried too hard to counter-attack, which led to mistakes, especially against fast bowler Mitchell Starc. Brook openly called two of his shots “shocking” and said that in hindsight he could have played them more safely instead of going for big hits.
Brook, who averages over 55 in Test cricket, said Australia’s bowling attack is highly skilled and rarely makes mistakes, so batters must create scoring chances carefully. He added that this does not always mean playing aggressively and sometimes it is better to rotate the strike and absorb pressure. While his use of footwork troubled Australia earlier, the tactic was limited when wicketkeeper Alex Carey stood close to the stumps. Still, Brook hinted he may try different methods again to disturb the bowlers in the next Test in Adelaide.
England’s Joe Root strongly backed Brook, calling him a generational player and comparing him to Kevin Pietersen. Root said Brook can change games quickly and is capable of delivering something special later in the series. Brook also shared that England’s short break in Noosa helped the team relax and refresh after going 2-0 down. He believes stepping away from cricket for a short time may help the side return with a clearer mindset for the remaining matches of the Ashes series.
English
