Harry Brook admits he cannot say for certain whether the Wellington episode that unfolded before the Ashes series cost him the opportunity to become England's Test captain, but he maintains that selecting Joe Root to take the helm was the "right decision" for the side. The 26‑year‑old was handed the white‑ball captaincy in April and was later elevated to the role of Test vice‑captain in September.

However, a controversy erupted in early January when it emerged that Brook had been struck by a bouncer the night before the third One‑Day International in Wellington on 1 November after being denied entry to a local club. The incident resulted in a final warning from the England and Wales Cricket Board and a fine of roughly £30,000. In a formal statement Brook said, "I want to apologise for my actions.

I fully accept that my behaviour was wrong and brought embarrassment to both myself and the England team." He has continued to serve as vice‑captain, but after Ben Stokes stepped away from the role England chose to reinstall Joe Root as Test captain rather than promote Brook. Many commentators have linked the decision to Brook's disciplinary issue, but Brook himself does not view it that way. Speaking to BBC Sport he said, "I honestly don't know.

I don't really look at it like that. The decision to make Rooty captain is the right one.

I'm actually really excited to see what he can do. He's definitely the right man to take over that job. I'm really looking forward to working alongside him." He added that the period following the Wellington incident was "tough, especially when I was at home, getting ready to face the media." Brook reflected on how the episode forced him to consider the broader responsibilities of leadership.

"I feel like the character that I showed throughout that period – to go out there and still perform and lead the white‑ball side fairly well – I was proud of myself and the team. I don't want to say it has helped me, but it has made me realise how big it is to be England captain. It's not just the leadership on the field.

It makes a massive difference if you can lead with responsibility off the field." While the Test captaincy remains out of reach for now, Brook says he has embraced the duties of leading England's limited‑overs side and believes the experience will serve him well should he be considered for the red‑ball role in the future. "There are little things you learn throughout your career," he noted, acknowledging that the past few months have been a "high‑scale" learning curve. "Having that responsibility now has made a massive difference for me.

There is the potential I could be captain, but at this moment in time all I'm focusing on is trying to win a few games of cricket. I will be 1,000 per cent behind Rooty and I'm really looking forward to what this Test side can do." Brook has long been praised by teammates and pundits as one of the most gifted cricketers of his generation, yet he has also been criticised for playing overly adventurous shots that sometimes end his innings prematurely.

He acknowledges the frustration this can cause supporters and says he is working on assessing situations more quickly. "If supporters get frustrated, imagine how frustrated I get," he said.

"It's something I've been really trying to work on, trying to assess conditions quicker, and read the surface better. To go out there knowing what shots are going to be hard and what is going to be easier." He described his practice routine from a young age, explaining that he has been honing every possible stroke since he was eight. "In the nets, I would do a 360 challenge with my dad. He would throw balls and I'd have to try to hit it to a certain place: that corner, then that corner.

I have the ability to hit it everywhere, I just have to figure it out quicker in games," Brook said. Former England captain Nasser Hussain praised Root's recent decision to scrap the team's curfew ahead of the three‑Test series against Pakistan. Hussain called the move a "grown‑up decision" and argued that a curfew signals a lack of control within a professional outfit. "You've lost the team if you've got a curfew.

You've got no control over your team. There's nothing good that happens with curfews because someone will end up breaking it.

Just treat people like grown‑ups, and if they don't behave like grown‑ups, then the first thing you do is fine them, and then the second thing you do is leave them out. A professional sporting outfit shouldn't need a curfew, and it just shows how bad a place they were in that a curfew was put in. I'm really pleased that Joe has said 'no, enough of that nonsense'." Looking ahead, Brook remains optimistic about England's prospects in both formats.

He believes the lessons learned from his own missteps, combined with the guidance of an experienced leader like Root, will strengthen the squad's resilience. "I will keep supporting Joe and the lads, and I hope the experience I gain as white‑ball captain will translate into confidence and maturity when the time comes for me to take on the Test role," he concluded.