England’s young batting star Harry Brook said he is staying off social media apps on his phone to make sure he stays away from negativity and focuses on getting better as a cricketer. Brook took the world by storm when he broke into the international scene last year, finding incredible early success in the Test format. Brook, as expected, triggered a bidding war in the Indian Premier League auction before SunRisers Hyderabad bought him for Rs 13.25 crore.

Harry Brook hit a century in each of the 3 Tests on his maiden tour of Pakistan before carrying forward that form to a tour of New Zealand. The 24-year-old, however, was not able to find instant success in the Indian Premier League. Questions were asked if Brook was affected by the pressure of the huge price tag. However, the England star hit a 55-ball hundred for SunRisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens to announce his arrival in the IPL, but form eluded him soon after. Brook finished his season with 190 runs at a paltry average of 21.

Harry Brook conceded after hitting the IPL hundred that he was putting pressure on him by constantly checking social media for reactions to his performances. Brook said that there were a few who were calling him ‘rubbish’ at the start of the IPL and that he was able to “shut them up” with his IPL hundred. Brook faced flak for his comments on social media and the trolls targeted him during his lean patch after the hundred in the IPL.

“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’

Brook had a decent Ashes 2023 outing but he was not able to live up to expectations at the ODI World Cup in India where England floundered. Brook scored 169 runs in 6 matches with a lone fifty after bagging a late call-up to the side.

Eventually, Brook was released by the SunRisers last month as they freed up Rs 13.25 crore ahead of the mini-auction, scheduled for December 19. Brook has once again made himself available for the auction.

Brook said he needed the mini break after the World Cup campaign in India and explained that he has let his agents handle social media for him.

“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.

Brook has a busy next few months as he will be off to India after the ongoing white-ball series in the West Indies. England will play 5 Tests in India in January-March before the IPL 2024 season.