With the Ashes looming over the horizon, England Test vice captain Harry Brook in his won words, is still trying to get over the intense India series earlier in the year. The India vs England 5-match Anderson Tendulkar Trophy series started from June and ended in August with both teams sharing the spoils at 2-2.
“I don’t know what I’m stepping into. 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,” Brook said as per ESPNCricinfo.
“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,” he added.
The 2025 Ashes will be Brook’s second after the 2023 edition but it’ll be taking place in Australia, a country where England have lost 13 of their last 15 Tests. While Brook has 7 hundreds in overseas tours in countries like Pakistan and New Zealand, Australia is a different beast. Even the great Joe Root, the second-highest run-getter in Tests, has yet to get to three figures Down Under.
One thing that might favour England this time though is that Australia captain Pat Cummins is reportedly set to miss the opening match of the Ashes due to due to a stress injury to the back. In Cummins’s absence, Scott Boland would step in. Boland, whose 14 Tests have come as an injury replacement to one of Starc, Cummins or Josh Hazlewood, has grabbed 62 wickets at a meagre average of 16.53.
“He is an amazing bowler and has been for many years. 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… we can’t take anybody lightly,” Brook said on Cummins at the PCA awards ceremony.
