For his remarks about ‘smog’ during their last white-ball series against India, Sunil Gavaskar once again didn’t miss an opportunity to slam England youth Harry Brook. Gavaskar cynically questioned whether the lighting at the Gaddafi Stadium were ‘ok or not’ following the confirmation of the Englishmen’s departure from the 2025 Champions Trophy thanks to their back-to-back group stage losses to Australia and Afghanistan in Lahore.
In their initial season of the Champions Trophy, Afghanistan stole a magnificent, tight eight-run victory over Jos Buttler’s team. Having hit a record 177, Ibrahim Zadran established a 325/7 goal. Joe Root got England close with his 120, but Afghanistan clinched the last-over victory on a spirited bowling performance. Brook got out for 25 (21), dropping caught and bowled against spinner Mohammad Nabi rather gently.
Harry Brook’s dismissal is all I saw. When he played in Kolkata, he said the smog caused him to not see the ball well therefore the Lahore lights need to be checked. That is why I seek. On Ten Sports’ The DP World Dressing Room Show, Gavaskar remarked, “I hope the Lahore lights are okay? Because the catching practice he gave to leave… I don’t know;;;”
In the first Kolkata T20I, Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy bowled Brook back in India. The vice-captain upset some people by remarking, “Chakaravarthy is a very good bowler, but with the smog the other night, it was much more difficult to pick,” at the press conference just ahead of the second game. With luck, the air is somewhat clearer here and we might see the ball a little better.
He went out the same way in the next T20I; Gavaskar was on broadcast and quipped, “Varun Chakravarthy is asking him if there is any smog there? “”
Since that Kolkata match, Brook has been having a bad time. England lost the series 4-1, but he had a highest score of 51 in the fourth T20I of it. England played three ODIs in India, followed by two in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan; he hasn’t hit even 35 runs yet.
