England's young batting talent Harry Brook said that he has removed social media apps from his phone to avoid negativity and concentrate on improving as a cricketer. Brook made a significant impact on the international stage last year, particularly excelling in Test cricket. Unsurprisingly, he garnered considerable attention in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction and was eventually purchased by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for Rs 13.25 crore.
Brook scored centuries in all three Tests during his debut tour of Pakistan and continued his excellent form on the New Zealand tour. Despite this success, the 24-year-old faced challenges in finding immediate success in the IPL. Questions arose about whether the pressure of his substantial price tag affected Brook. However, he made a significant statement at the Eden Gardens for SRH by scoring a hundred in just 55 balls, but unfortunately, he struggled to maintain that form. Brook concluded the season with 190 runs at a modest average of 21.
After scoring a hundred in the IPL, Brook admitted that he had been putting pressure on himself by regularly checking social media for reactions to his performances. He said encountered criticism, with some labelling him 'rubbish' at the beginning of the IPL, but he believed he silenced them with his impressive innings. However, Brook faced backlash on social media, and trolls targeted him during his less successful period after the IPL century.
"I was an idiot and I said that stupid thing in an interview which I regret a little bit," Brook, who hit a fifty in the first ODI against the West Indies in Antigua on December 3 said, as quoted by the BBC.
"In India, you end up sitting in your hotel room, not much to do so I find myself just scrolling Instagram or Twitter or whatever and come across stuff you just don't want to see. I thought it was the right idea to get off it. I've obviously still got Instagram and Twitter but thankfully I've got someone running it for me," he added.
'IT HAS HELPED MY MENTAL HEALTH'
Despite having a respectable performance in the Ashes 2023, Brook fell short of expectations at the ODI World Cup in India, where England faced challenges. He received a late call-up to the side and managed to score 169 runs in six matches with a single half-century.
Recently, SRH released Brook, freeing up Rs 13.25 crore in preparation for the upcoming mini-auction scheduled for December 19. Brook has once again put himself up for auction.
Following the World Cup campaign in India, he felt the need for a short break and delegated the management of his social media to his agents.
"I've been off social media for a while now, anything I stumble across, I delete it from the phone. I haven't really seen any negativity, I think that's helped my game, helped my mental health and everything to be off social media and seeing all the negativity that brings," he added.
His schedule is packed for the upcoming months. Following the ongoing white-ball series in the West Indies, he will head to India. England are set to participate in a five-Test series in India from January to March, followed by the IPL 2024 season.
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