Who should be England's next white-ball captain? Nasser Hussain opines
What's the story
Former England captain Nasser Hussain has endorsed Harry Brook as a potential successor to Jos Buttler as England's next white-ball skipper.
The recommendation comes after England's dismal outing, which led to an early exit in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, where they were knocked out by Afghanistan.
The loss has sparked rumors about Buttler's future as the team's captain.
"Harry Brook would be my choice as England's next limited-overs captain," Hussain wrote in a Daily Mail column. Here's more.
Leadership uncertainty
Buttler's future as skipper under scrutiny
After England's CT exit, Buttler had admitted in the post-match interview that he needed to rethink his position as captain.
As mentioned, Hussain backed Brook as Buttler's successor, saying it was time to move on from Buttler.
But he also noted that the options are limited at the moment and stated, "The truth is though that as far as future leaders go, the cupboard is pretty bare."
"Now it's clearly time to move on from Jos Buttler," he wrote.
Captaincy concerns
Brook's leadership experience and potential challenges
Notably, Brook has already captained England in ODIs, during a series against Australia (2024).
However, despite Brook's experience of leading the side, Hussain pointed out possible problems with naming him the captain.
"And there would be issues with appointing Brook. Namely whether, in such an important year that includes a home Test series against India and ends with the Ashes, you want to pass on all the burdens associated with leading a struggling side onto a young man," he noted.
Role balance
Balancing act between Test and limited-overs cricket
"England are trying to go in a direction where they're playing a lot of their Test players in the limited-overs sides. Do they want that with the captain as well?" Hussain questioned, further elaborating on the challenges of balancing Test and limited-overs cricket.
Despite these concerns, he praised Brook's past performances as captain in The Hundred and against Australia.
"I enjoyed watching him captain last year, whether it be in the Hundred or against Australia," he further added.
ENG's journey
Two consecutive losses leads to England's elimination
England began their 2025 Champions Trophy campaign with a five-wicket loss to Australia, despite Ben Duckett's stellar knock.
Josh Inglis' unbeaten century guided Australia to victory in a high-scoring clash.
In their second game against debutants Afghanistan, England started strong with the ball but lost momentum.
Chasing 326, they were bowled out for 317 despite Joe Root's century, leading to their elimination from the tournament.
Stats
A look at Brook's ODI numbers
Brook is just three short of 800 ODI runs. As per ESPNcricinfo, he has amassed 797 runs at an average of 34.65 across 25 ODIs.
He also boasts a strike rate of 102.04, alongside one ton and five fifties.
Brook's highest ODI score is 110*, which he smashed against Australia in 2024.
As captain, he has racked up 312 runs at 78 (five innings).