4 min learnFeb 5, 2026 09:47 PM IST
Previous to the beginning of England’s three-match ODI and three-match T20I collection, England white-ball captain Harry Brook was embroiled in an issue concerning the off-field incident throughout the staff’s New Zealand Tour final yr previous to the Ashes. With Day by day Telegraph reporting on the final day of the Ashes collection, which England misplaced 4-1, that the 26-year-old Brook was concerned in a brawl with a membership bouncer at Wellington throughout the New Zealand Tour, ECB had sanctioned the cricketer with a effective of 30,000 kilos.
Submit his hundred towards Sri Lanka within the last ODI at Colombo final month, Brook had indulged in a WWE wrestler Stone Chilly’ Steve Austin‑impressed beer smash celebration and former England captain Michael Atherton has termed the celebration as ‘barely inappropriate’ and the way Brook making errors irritated him. “It irritates me a little bit bit when gamers make errors, as Brook did in Wellington. However the focus then shifts away from that particular person accountability.
“This cliché that the quilt‑up is worse than the crime is trotted out on a regular basis. Give me a break. It’s ridiculous. If he goes out on the eve of a recreation, has one too many, will get clocked by a bouncer, and persons are saying the issue is within the comms and the PR. Sooner or later, it’s a must to take particular person accountability. I assumed the celebration when he obtained the 100 in Sri Lanka was barely… I imply, you don’t wish to be po‑confronted about all this, you’ll be able to have a little bit of humour about it, however I simply thought it was barely inappropriate and didn’t recommend somebody who had proven a lot contrition.”However I agree that folks make errors. It’s important to assist them after that and assist them develop and get higher.” Atherton stated on the Sky Sports activities Cricket podcast.
After the Day by day Telegraph reported in regards to the incident involving Brook in New Zealand, the ECB had launched a overview of the Ashes Tour in addition to the New Zealand Tour. Submit the report, Brook had admitted about his mistake and incident previous to the primary ODI towards Sri Lanka at Colombo final month. Brook had additionally informed BBC Sports activities about him being alone on the time of the incident at Wellington. Day after Brook’s admission, Day by day Telegraph reported about England gamers Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue being current throughout the incident.
Later, Brook got here out with an announcement accepting accountability for his motion and acknowledging that different gamers too had been current throughout the incident. Former England captain Nasser Hussain too weighed upon the difficulty and shared the way it’s unacceptable for an England captain to be going out an evening earlier than the sport and having an excessive amount of to ‘drink’.
“There’s been a lot noise about it within the final couple of weeks, and rightly so, as a result of he’s an England cricket captain, and also you’ve simply obtained to get the certainties out. One factor that’s sure: it’s completely unacceptable for an England cricket captain, the evening earlier than a recreation, to be going out, having an excessive amount of to drink, and being clocked by a bouncer. That’s simply non‑negotiable. I’ve learn items saying he hasn’t been supported by the ECB and wanted extra assist. For any cricketer of no matter age – and it is a 26‑yr‑previous who has been round for some time – that’s simply non‑negotiable as your cricket captain,” stated Hussain within the podcast.

