Harry Brook has admitted he was “an idiot” over his comments about ‘shutting up’ Indian fans during this year’s IPL.
After a sensational breakthrough winter for England 12 months ago, Brook was snapped up by Sunrisers Hyderabad in a lucrative first IPL deal worth more than £1.3million.
The Yorkshireman struggled through much of his debut campaign, but did make a sensational 55-ball hundred against Kolkata Knight Riders, after which he used the post-match presentation to hit back at native critics.
"There are a lot of Indian fans out there who’ll say well done tonight,” he said at the time. “But they were slagging me off a few days ago. Glad I could shut them up.”
Brook is now with England in the West Indies, where Jos Buttler’s side are looking to launch a new era after their Cricket World Cup disappointment, but the 24-year-old says he has been insulated from much of the noise around that doomed campaign having come off social media since the IPL.
“I didn’t really see anything,” he said, ahead of this evening’s Second ODI in Antigua. “I’ve been off social media for a while now, so anything I stumble across, I delete it from my phone.
“I was an idiot and I said that stupid thing in an interview, which I regret a little bit. In India, you end up sitting in your hotel room, not much to do, and so I find myself just scrolling Instagram and Twitter and come across stuff you just don’t want to see, so I thought it was the right idea to come off it. I’ve obviously still got Instagram and Twitter but thankfully I’ve got someone running it for me.”
Brook was in and out of England’s side during the World Cup and is still yet to stamp his mark on the 50-over format, but will be backed as a lynchpin of the new-look side and top-scored with 71 from 72 balls in Sunday’s First ODI defeat.
Evidence of Brook’s standing came midway through the World Cup, when he was announced as one of only three players to have signed a three-year central contract with the ECB, alongside Joe Root and Mark Wood.
Jofra Archer and Buttler both opted for two-year deals instead, while Ben Stokes signed for only one having been offered three in the expectation that the value of such contracts may rise by next year’s round of negotiations. Despite the competing lure of franchise opportunities, however, Brook says he had no hesitation in agreeing the long-term deal.
"Straight away as soon as England called I was going to sign the contract," Brook said. "I've wanted to play for England all my life."
