Harry Brook has reopened the possibility of returning to the Indian Premier League, marking a significant change from his recent position that England and The Hundred would be his only cricketing priorities. The England Men’s White-ball Captain now views a future IPL return as something he would consider, although representing his country remains his immediate focus.
The shift comes after Brook had explicitly ruled out participating in franchise competitions beyond The Hundred. His complicated recent history with the IPL means a return cannot happen immediately, but his latest comments leave the door open once he becomes eligible again.
Brook changes tone on IPL future
Brook’s previous position was unequivocal when discussing his playing priorities ahead of England’s T20I series against India last month.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the series, Brook said: “I’ve committed completely to England cricket. I’ve said that I don’t want to play any franchise cricket barring the Hundred, and everything that I want to do is to play cricket for England.”
He added: “Hence the reason I don’t play in the IPL and PSL and all the other franchise competitions.”
His latest comments maintain England as his priority but no longer rule out an eventual return to the IPL.
Brook told Cricinfo at Headingley on the sidelines of The Hundred: “Who knows what the future holds, but yeah, and like I said, I’m completely focused on playing as much cricket as I possibly can for England, and that is my one and only priority at the moment.”
He added: “Yeah, definitely. The IPL is a great competition, and it’s a great experience, and you go over there, you leave a better player. It’s a very good competition to be a part of, and it’s something that I’ll definitely think about in the future.”
Brook’s IPL history complicates potential return
Brook first played in the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad after the franchise bought him for ₹13.25 crore (approx. US$1.4m) ahead of the 2023 season. He scored a century against Kolkata Knight Riders during that campaign.
Delhi Capitals later bought him for ₹6.25 crore (approx. US$658K) at the 2025 mega auction, but Brook withdrew from the tournament. He had also withdrawn from the 2024 IPL following the death of his grandmother.
His second withdrawal triggered a ban under the IPL’s revised regulations governing overseas players. That restriction prevents an immediate comeback, leaving any future participation dependent on when Brook becomes eligible to return.
Sunrisers connection continues in The Hundred
Brook nevertheless remains connected to the Sunrisers ownership group through The Hundred. The Sun Group acquired Northern Superchargers and renamed the team Sunrisers Leeds, with Brook retained by the franchise.
The ownership change has brought a new identity to the Leeds-based team while keeping Brook within a Sunrisers setup.
Brook told Cricinfo: “Well, it’s always going to be a little bit of change, obviously, with new owners, and there’s a lot more orange around the ground now, as seen with the Orange Army. But it’s the same with every franchise, really.”
He added: “You try and get to know everybody as quickly as you possibly can, build some bonds, and yeah, at the end of the day, we’re all here to try and win a few games of cricket.”
IPL return back on Brook’s longer-term agenda
Brook’s immediate commitment remains with England, but his latest position represents a clear departure from categorically excluding the IPL and other franchise competitions from his plans.
His previous IPL experience, current involvement with Sunrisers Leeds and status as England’s White-ball Captain place any future decision within a wider balance between international commitments and franchise cricket.
For now, Brook cannot translate his renewed interest into an immediate IPL return. But by describing the league as a competition that leaves players better for the experience and confirming that he will consider it in the future, he has put the IPL back into his longer-term plans.
