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Nasser Hussain suggests Harry Brook as England’s next white-ball captain, replacing Jos Buttler, but warns of potential issues like over-burdening Brook.
Jos Buttler (L) and Harry Brook. (Sportzpics Photo)
Harry Brook is Nasser Hussain’s first preference to replace Jos Buttler as England’s next white-ball cricket captain, though the former international warned that the choice won’t come without its ‘problems’.
Since winning the 2022 T20 World Cup, Buttler has led England to early exits in the 2023 ODI World Cup, a big semi-final defeat in the 2024 T20 World Cup and then another group-stage elimination in the ongoing 2025 Champions Trophy. After losing by eight runs to Afghanistan on Wednesday, Buttler said he wanted to figure out whether he was ‘part of the problem’ or ‘solution’ for England’s woes and take a decision on his future.
“Harry Brook would be my choice as England’s next limited-overs captain now it’s clearly time to move on from Jos Buttler. If you’re having to think about being England captain, as Buttler said he would be after Champions Trophy elimination earlier this week, you probably know you’re done,” Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.
“The truth is though that as far as future leaders go, the cupboard is pretty bare and some of that is simply because not enough domestic 50-over cricket is being played,” Hussain added.
Brook, 26, has been Buttler’s deputy in limited-overs cricket since January, though he has been unable to fare better with the added responsibility, scoring just one half-century in his last 10 matches.
There would be issues with appointing Brook: Nasser Hussain
Hussain explained the ‘issues’ that England might face with this call, saying that they’d risk over-burdening him with the responsibility and affect his natural game.
“And there would be issues with appointing Brook. Namely whether, in such an important year that includes a home Test series against India and ends with the Ashes, you want to pass on all the burdens associated with leading a struggling side onto a young man and make his life a bit more difficult as a result.”
“England are trying to go in a direction where they’re playing a lot of their Test players in the limited-overs sides. Do they want that with the captain as well? That is another question. The months ahead are very important in red-ball cricket and that would be something to consider if Brook took over.”
“I enjoyed watching him captain last year, whether it be in the Hundred or against Australia, when he got a hundred in one of the games – which suggested he was quite happy balancing the two roles. But you’ve still got to be careful. You don’t want to be weighing down a very talented young player with it all,” said Hussain.
England have one match left in the Champions Trophy — against South Africa on Saturday. After that, they’ll play a one-off Test against Zimbabwe and begin a three-ODI series against West Indies in May.