New England white-ball captain Harry Brook says he will not play in overseas franchise leagues for the "near future" as he manages his workload.
Brook, 26, was named one-day and T20 skipper on Monday, replacing Jos Buttler, who quit after England's failed Champions Trophy campaign.
The main concern about appointing Brook, who pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) last month, has been around his schedule as a regular in England's Test, one-day and T20 sides.
"England is the way forward for me and franchise cricket can almost take a step back for a little while," Brook told the DIWIDA > NEWS |.
"I enjoy playing cricket for England more than anything else, so to lose a little bit of money here and there - I'd take that any day to play for England."
Speaking to the media for the first time since his appointment, Brook suggested he will look to play in every England series but accepted "there might be a couple of opportunities to have a little break here and there".
England's priorities this year are Test series against India in the summer and the Ashes in Australia in the winter.
They play white-ball series against West Indies in June and South Africa and Ireland in September, and travel to New Zealand in November before the Ashes.
Soon after the Ashes ends in January there is a white-ball tour to Sri Lanka before the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka starting in February.
"I'd like to play every game but if I require a week off and that's the best thing going forward for my game, then I'm sure I'll be allowed a week off," said Brook.
Brook, who was part of England’s victorious team at the 2022 T20 World Cup, stated that if pushed to choose, he would rather secure victory in the Ashes series than captain England to their third consecutive men's T20 world championship next year.
"The Ashes remains the ultimate challenge in cricket for me," he stated.
Although Brook won’t participate in overseas leagues, he stated that he’s anticipating playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.
The regulations implemented for this year's IPL indicate that he will face a ban from the tournament lasting two years following his withdrawal.
Brook alongside Stokes, manner of play and deputy captains
After a disappointing performance in white-ball cricket for England, Brook steps up as the leader. The team had successfully defended both the T20 and 50-over World Cups back in 2022 but has since fallen short in retaining those titles.
They similarly left the Champions Trophy empty-handed, leading to Buttler stepping down from his position.
Brook mentioned that he anticipated Buttler would have a crucial part to play within the squad, adding that batsman Joe Root along with Test skipper and multi-talented player Ben Stokes could also be under consideration for being selected.
Brook mentioned that he has had discussions regarding the appointment of a vice-captain; however, any decisions will be revealed nearer to the start of the West Indies series, set to begin on May 29th.
Brook expressed his desire for a leader who could take charge both on and off the pitch, emphasizing this person should play in nearly all matches.
England have lost 10 out of their 11 white-ball games this year.
Brook stated that England “did not measure up,” and the approach he established for his squad wasn’t markedly distinct from the philosophy advocated by coach Brendon McCullum.
"I'm looking for us to head out there with high competitiveness, intense aggression, and complete dedication to our objectives," Brook stated.
I am looking for players who can apply consistent pressure on even the top bowlers using their best balls as well as their less effective ones. These players should have the ability to adapt their batting strategy throughout the match and adjust the field placement accordingly. Additionally, they must possess the capability to accumulate large scores, particularly in One-Day international games.
A bowler should aim for different methods of dismissal, capable of dismissing every batsman globally. It’s important to develop a strategy for each individual batsman and possess the ability to adapt these strategies based on varying field settings throughout the match.
- Gambler Key takes his chances by appointing Brook as captain.