An unrivalled collection of cricketers will be on show over the next two months but as the Indian Premier League (IPL) prepares to burst back into life, it is the absence of an Englishman hitting the headlines. Harry Brook’s withdrawal from a £600,000 deal was announced mere moments after the conclusion of a Champions Trophy that served to set the table for India’s showpiece spectacular to come; the unavailability of Delhi Capitals’ ninth best-paid player not a seismic shock to shake the competition but nonetheless causing angst and anger.
Under new IPL rules, Brook’s bowing out is likely to mean the earliest he can return to the tournament is 2028, a significant chunk of cricket to miss for a batter coming into his prime. While the reasons laid out in his communique were perfectly clear and understandable, not all have met his decision with understanding. Michael Clarke, the former Australia captain, has accused Brook of pulling out having not attracted the salary he wanted at December’s auction; Moeen Ali said that Delhi’s planning had been “messed up” and his former England teammate deserved a stiff sanction. Beyond the experts, a scan of the mentions of Brook’s name on social media show why one always be wary of risking the wrath of a cricketing public that lubricate the economic engine increasingly driving the game.
