Can smog steering clear of the game help England win against India? Harry Brook thinks so

England were received with utmost warmth by India as the white-ball series commenced at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The 1st IND vs ENG T20I saw the hosts opting for a spin-heavy lineup, including Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi alongside vice-captain Axar Patel. Their strategy paid off, as after the early damage inflicted by ace seamer Arshdeep Singh in the opening innings, Chakravarthy dismantled the English batting lineup, bundling them out for just 132 runs. Arshdeep claimed 2 wickets, Chakravarthy picked up 3, and Axar scalped 2 as the English batters struggled on the Kolkata surface. Meanwhile, young opener Abhishek Sharma handled the English pacers with finesse, smashing 79 runs off just 34 deliveries. Sharma’s explosive innings propelled India to victory in the 13th over of the chase, with 7 wickets in hand.

Harry Brook lists smog as a hindrance in their 1st T20I clash against India

The start was far from ideal for the English team, where a fighting half-century from skipper Jos Buttler didn’t amount to much as the rest of the lineup collapsed like a pack of cards. Now, as the teams prepare for the second T20I of the five-match series, England batter and vice-captain Harry Brook spoke about the factors that worked against them in Kolkata. India is currently experiencing chilly winters, with most parts of the country blanketed in heavy fog. In metro cities, Kolkata being one, the fog combines with pollution during this season to form a dense layer of smog. While Brook praised the skills of spinner Varun Chakravarthy, the English batter also highlighted smog as a significant hindrance to their batting performance.

“Chakaravarthy is an exceptionally good bowler,” Brook said. “But with the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick. Hopefully the air is a bit clearer here and we can see the ball a bit easier," he added.

Harry Brook expressed his hope to encounter much less smog in Chennai, where the next T20I is scheduled for Saturday, January 25. Additionally, Brook referenced his century from IPL 2023 to highlight his ability to handle Chakravarthy. Brook's century for Sunrisers Hyderabad in a league-stage match was his only notable knock of the season. The chirpy player humorously explained that he wanted to watch a replay of the knock but couldn’t because his phone didn’t allow it.

“Facing spin in T20 cricket is probably the hardest thing in the game, especially because I always get out trying to absolutely smack it,” he said. “Maybe I’ve got to rein in a little bit, but we’ll see. I was going to watch it on the way in (to Friday’s practice session) but my phone wouldn’t work, so I’ll have a look a little bit later,” he noted.

A three-match ODI series will follow the five-match T20I series in the England Tour of India. The white-ball tournament serves as a prelude to the ICC Champions Trophy, which is set to commence on February 19 in Pakistan. Placed in the same group as Pakistan, England will play its league-stage matches in the subcontinent nation, which shares similar weather conditions to India. India, meanwhile, will play all its matches in Dubai, with their campaign starting on February 20 against Bangladesh.