'Look Forward': Nasser Hussain Wants Harry Brook To Take Over As England's White-Ball Captain
Nasser Hussain wants England to move forward and go with Harry Brook as England's new white-ball captain.
After Jos Buttler stepped down as England’s white-ball captain, Nasser Hussain has gone on to back Harry Brook to take over while urging the English Cricket Board to make the switch as soon as possible.
England has taken a dip in the limited-overs formats following their stellar form to win the ODI World Cup in 2019, followed by the T20 World Cup in 2022. Buttler stepped down from captaincy duties following their elimination in the Champions Trophy 2025 in the group stages. Despite winning the T20 World Cup in 2022, England took a hit in the ODI format, failing to qualify for the knockout games in the ODI World Cup 2023 in India.
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Hussain felt that it was better to put the leadership duties on a more long-term candidate like Brook instead of a stop-gap option which would only be good for a short-term role.
“Harry Brook is the obvious candidate to take over. He did it at the end of the summer against Australia," Hussain told Sky Sports. “With the amount of important cricket coming up for England, you have to ask whether you want to put that pressure on a young man who has an India series at home, an Ashes away, and then a T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Or do you go with a stopgap option like James Vince, Sam Billings, or Lewis Gregory—experienced domestic and franchise captains?
He has backed Brook’s appointment as a step forward but also remains wary of the risk involved in putting the leadership burden on a young player.
“I think England doesn’t look back; they look forward. If they think Brook is the next captain, they should go to him as soon as possible so he can start learning. But obviously, the caveat is that it will put a lot on his plate."
Hussain reflected that Buttler’s emotional decision to step down is one that will hurt but is the right move altogether. He feels that with leadership duties, his own form has taken a hit, resulting in the lack of runs when the side needed it the most.
“It’s always very sad when an England captain has to step down, and you could see how emotional Jos was walking out. It’s the best job in the world until you have to give it away, and that moment really hurts," Hussain said.
“But it’s the right decision. His form has declined significantly since becoming captain, especially in the last couple of years. He’s England’s best white-ball player, and the captaincy hasn’t provided enough balance to compensate for the runs he’s missing out on. Also, the results haven’t gone his way—the last three world events, the 50-over and T20 World Cups, and this tournament haven’t been great. It’s a combination of poor results and poor form."
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