Harry Brook’s dismissal on Day 4 of the Lord’s Test has sparked widespread debate, with several former cricketers — including Ravi Shastri, Stuart Broad, and Mike Atherton — questioning the wisdom of his shot selection during a crucial phase of the game.
The moment unfolded as part of a gripping mini-battle that showcased both Brook’s natural aggression and India’s tactical adjustments. Earlier in the innings, Brook had scooped two boundaries off Akash Deep, with wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel standing up to the stumps. When Jurel shifted back behind the wickets, Brook capitalised, launching a six over long-off.
Recognising the pattern, Indian captain Shubman Gill and Akash Deep responded cleverly in the next over. They repositioned the fine-leg fielder finer, effectively blocking the scoop shot that had worked earlier. This left a squarer gap but also made the stroke riskier.
Despite the visible change in field, Brook still attempted a sweep-like stroke. But this time, it didn’t come off. He missed a full-length delivery, and his middle stump was knocked over — a moment that marked a turning point in the match.
“No Merit in the Shot” – Atherton
Former England captain Mike Atherton was especially critical of Brook’s approach.
“… but when Gill moved his boundary fielder finer to block out the scoop, there was no merit in Brook’s response the following over, when he aimed a sweep and lost his middle stump,” Atherton wrote in The Times.
He further explained why the decision was flawed, especially given the nature of the delivery and Brook’s previous success with a more orthodox stroke.
“Brook’s was not the only poor shot of the innings — Root and Stokes, later on, took the wrong options to Sundar — but it was the shot where the balance between risk and reward was most out of kilter. The ball he got out to was, in effect, a straight half-volley just like the one he had whipped through mid-wicket the previous over off Reddy, and a straighter bat would have been a better offering again,” Atherton added.
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