Harry Brook is set to be appointed as England's vice-captain for the upcoming Test against Ireland, as head coach Brendon McCullum considers a leadership shake-up ahead of the Ashes. Brook, who has already captained England in limited-overs cricket, is being tipped to replace Ollie Pope as Ben Stokes's deputy.
McCullum confirmed that Brook's emergence as a leader makes the role a topic of discussion. "It's no secret that Brook is emerging as a leader within English cricket, so that's something we need to work out," he said. The move would be a blow to Pope, who has held the vice-captaincy since late 2022 and led the side five times. Pope is also set to serve as reserve wicketkeeper on the Ashes tour.
For the Ashes squad, McCullum wants at least seven seamers and is seeking a mentor to replace Tim Southee, who is focusing on franchise cricket. Andrew Flintoff is tipped as a potential candidate. Mark Wood is expected to be fit after knee surgery, while Shoaib Bashir remains the first-choice spinner despite a broken hand. Liam Dawson or Rehan Ahmed could be the backup spinner.
Ben Stokes, recovering from a shoulder injury, is expected to be fully fit for the Ashes. McCullum said, "I know how much he wants these Ashes. My job will be to finesse that." England will have only one warm-up match before the series, but McCullum defended the schedule, noting they have won the first Test of every away tour under his leadership.
Meanwhile, Jacob Bethell will captain England in the three T20s against Ireland, with Brook and Jofra Archer rested. Saqib Mahmood will miss the tour due to minor knee surgery, with Scott Currie called up as his replacement.
