Harry Brook blamed Kolkata smog for England's spin struggles against India bowlers in the first T20I which saw the visitors suffering big defeat in the series opener. Meanwhile, India's cricket legends Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar, took a playful jab at England batter Harry Brook's smog remark during the second T20I in Chennai.
Harry Brook mocked for smog remark
Brook, who had previously blamed smog in Kolkata for his struggles against Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy, once again fell victim to the mystery spinner.
This dismissal marked the second consecutive time Chakravarthy had dismissed Brook in the series, underscoring the Englishman's ongoing struggles against the Indian bowler.
"Once again, it's Varun Chakravarthy. You don't need the smog. This has sneaked through and it's crashed into the stumps," Ravi Shastri said in commentary.
Sunil Gavaskar was no less as he too joined Ravi Shastri to mock Harry Brook.
"You said it, you said it. The light is clearer here in Chennai. There was some smog in the Eden Gardens Kolkata. No smog here, had no idea where the ball was going, hitting the top of the off-stop. Harry Brook gone for 13, 3 down 59. And yes, I think Varun Chakravarthy is looking at him, maybe asking, look, is there any smoke there," Sunil Gavaskar also said while commentating.
Prior to the Chennai match, the England batter offered an unusual explanation for his struggles against Chakravarthy. Brook stated that the smog in Kolkata had hindered his ability to pick the ball. He expressed hope that the clearer air in Chennai would improve his visibility. Brook acknowledged the challenges of facing spin in T20 cricket, particularly his tendency to get out while attempting aggressive strokes.
Chakravarthy bluffed Brook with a beautifully flighted delivery. The ball, delivered with deceptive precision from the back of the hand, spun subtly and sneaked through the narrow gap between Brook's inside edge and pad, crashing into the top of off stump. The extra bounce deceived Brook, who lunged down the pitch in a vain attempt to reach the ball. With a wry smile, Brook walked back to the pavilion as Chakravarthy gave him a piercing glare, a moment that underscored the spinner's dominance.
England ended up posting 165/9 on the board riding on Jos Buttler 30-ball 47.
India's Playing XI:
Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Mohammed Shami
England's Playing XI:
Ben Duckett, Philip Salt(w), Jos Buttler(c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood