Brook needs England test captaincy – and they need him
“Not mature enough” or “too reckless” or “talented, but…” were all ways in which people could have described Ben Stokes’ ascension to England test skipper four years ago. There were some valid points. As a player he had the golden arm and showed incredible heart which supporters of all teams came to love and respect. As a person, he had some growing up to do off the pitch after well publicised alcohol-fuelled incidents. And now, parallels must be drawn with Harry Brook and how the vice-captain of this currently skipper-less side has been written off as the heir to Stokes’ title before he’s even been given the job. Off the pitch, he had an altercation with a New Zealand doorman in October 2025 in echoes of Stokes’ notorious Bristol transgression in 2017 when the Durham all-rounder was of a similar age. And on the pitch, well, where to start? The Yorkshire batter has a superb test average of more than 53 runs per innings and can do things with the willow in his hands which mere ...