Harry Brook was indeed fortunate to have avoided a pair in Leeds. Had Jasprit Bumrah not overstepped towards the close of play on Day II of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy opener, Brook, who scored a brisk 99 in that first innings, would have departed for nought then only.
India still prefer to keep under wraps Bumrah’s availability at Edgbaston. For Brook, though, he will be playing the Indian bowling spearhead as respectfully as he can whenever he faces him next.
“I felt like I handled him (Bumrah) fairly well. He’s a quality bowler, but we don’t know yet if he’ll play (in the second Test). But yes, I’ll try to play him as respectfully as I can,” Brook said in a select media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network
on Monday.
“If Bumrah doesn’t play, that’s a miss for them (India)... If he plays, that’s another challenge we’ll look forward to.”
However, depending on the situation, England’s batting group may not be hesitant in even being a little more aggressive against Bumrah, Brook stated. “It all depends on the situation and how individuals play different bowlers.
“Last week, we saw Bumrah as a threat, so some chose to play him cautiously and score at the other end. On another day, we might go after him more,” he said.
Like Headingley, Edgbaston, too, is expected to be dry and batting-friendly, although England have asked for some assistance for the quicks.
“Historically, Birmingham can be a bit flatter but might offer more to spin as the game progresses — maybe late on Day III, IV, or V. Generally, it behaves like an English wicket... Does something early and then flattens out.
“We’ve already asked for pace, carry and something in it for the seamers. But if the sun’s out all week, the pitch dries out and flattens... According to forecasts, it could be another good batting surface,” Brook explained.
Asked if white-ball captaincy has made him more responsible as a cricketer, Brook replied: “I’ve only played one Test while being the white-ball captain. But yes, I try to carry that responsibility into my batting and think more about what the team needs.”
Second Test live on Sony Sports Ten 1 & Sony Sports Ten 5 from Wednesday