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England’s star batter Harry Brook was recently left disheartened after missing out on the team’s 15-man provisional squad for the ODI World Cup 2023. Brook’s omission from the 15-player set-up not only stirred discussions among fans but also raised many eyebrows in the cricketing community.
It is worth mentioning that Brook has been a standout performer for England over the past few years, and the English cricketer’s journey has been marked by unwavering dedication and meteoric growth. He has solidified his position as one of England’s most promising batters in the past few years and has attracted huge praise from cricket enthusiasts and experts alike.
Brook’s promising stats:
The Test arena witnessed Brook’s prowess firsthand, as he has amassed an impressive 1181 runs in just 12 red-ball matches so far. Meanwhile, he showcased his dynamic skills in the T20I format as well, accumulating 372 runs in 20 games. However, Brook’s opportunities in the ODI arena were somewhat restricted, with a mere three appearances in the 50-over format for England.
World Cup Omission:
The announcement of England’s provisional World Cup squad for 2023 resonated with surprise and speculation as it lacked the name of Brook. The fans were quick to take notice of the fact and expressed their disappointment. Interestingly, many believe it was the return of England’s Test captain, Ben Stokes, to the ODI set-up that partially led to Brook’s exclusion. Notably, Stokes revoked his ODI retirement to reclaim a spot in the squad.
Brook reacts to missing out on the team’s provisional squad:
Amidst the air of disappointment, Brook shared his reaction to the squad snub. The English batter displayed an understanding of the bigger picture and gracefully accepted the management’s decision, saying that he is happy to make room for a player of Stokes’ calibre.
He even hinted at his unfulfilled desires to make a mark in the ODI format and reflected on his limited chances to showcase his abilities in one-day cricket, both for Yorkshire and the national side.
“Obviously it’s disappointing but I can’t do anything about it now. I’ve not had much conversation with Matthew [Mott] or Jos [Buttler]. They said with Stokesy coming back I was probably going to miss out this time. He is one of the best players to ever play cricket, so I can’t really complain, can I?” said Brook on the sidelines of the Hundred Competition.
“I feel like I’m playing well at the minute and feel I could potentially add value to the team. [But] there’s always something more you could do. I haven’t had much opportunity to play one-day cricket, whether that be for Yorkshire or England. And although I’ve played a lot of T20 cricket, I don’t know if I’ve done as well as I have in the past in the last six months, so that might have had an effect,” he added.
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