England’s Harry Brook, left, is bowled out by India’s Varun Chakravarthy during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo)
England star Harry Brook has said that the smog in Kolkata made it difficult to pick the turning ball in the first T20I, in which the Indian cricket team defeated England by a seven-wicket margin with 43 balls to spare.
Brook was bowled by a wrong’ un from leg-spinner, Varun Chakravarthy. Brook was then followed back into the hut two balls later by Liam Livingstone, who was also dismissed in a similar fashion.
The England vice captain Brook made 17 runs in the match on Wednesday.
He praised Chakravarthy as an “exceptionally good bowler” ahead of the second T20I in Chennai. Chakravarthy was the pick of the Indian cricket team’s bowling attack, ending the night with three wickets for 23 runs in his four overs.
“With the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully the air is a bit clearer here and we can see the ball a bit easier,” Brook said at a press conference on Friday in Chennai. India and England are slotted to play five T20Is.
ESPNCricinfo noted that back in 1992-93, when England had visited India for a tour, their then-chairman of selectors, Ted Dexter, had attributed his team’s loss in the first Test at Eden Gardens, to smog.
The 25-year-old Brook did point fingers at his own technique as well. “Facing spin in T20 cricket is probably the hardest thing in the game, especially because I always get out trying to absolutely smack it. Maybe I’ve got to rein in a little bit, but we’ll see.”
It must be noted that in the first T20I, India opted for three spinners, while keeping ace pacer Mohammed Shami on the bench. The spin troika bowled 12 overs and conceded just 67 runs at a rate of 5.58, picking up five wickets between them.
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