England sealed a dominant 3-0 T20I series win against West Indies in their first assignment in the format under Harry Brook's full-time leadership. Here's what we learned from his maiden series in charge.
Smith takes his chance to reverse paternity leave dilemma
Having taken up a new role at the top of the order for the ODI leg of the tour, Jamie Smith was set to sit out the T20I series with Phil Salt retaining his position. However, having dashed to and from the IPL for the birth of his child, Salt took paternity leave on after his second trip back from India to open the door for Smith to come in. It's an interesting insight into how they view Smith's and other's roles in the new white-ball set-up. Tom Banton is batting lower than he would normally do in T20 cricket at No.6, and could have shunted up the order to plug the gap. Jos Buttler could equally have moved up a position.
But, England view Smith as their opener in waiting in T20Is, posing a question for when Salt returns. Smith scored 38 off 20 in his first innings, and capped the series off with a blistering 60 in Southampton. While it's the most likely scenario that Salt will come back in as a straight swap at the top of the order, Smith has inched closer to demanding a first-choice spot across formats.
A record-breaking score in Southampton 🏴
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 10, 2025
READ: https://t.co/ilzzAdOvlA#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/X2TcYZfvqR
Dawson's international return worth the wait
It was scarcely believable that more than two years had passed since Liam Dawson's previous international cap when he opened the bowling at The Oval. The four wickets he took for 20 runs, conceding just four off his first over in the powerplay, cemented what England have been missing in their T20I side over the last few years.
England have been fudging their second spinner, playing Liam Livingstone as an all-rounder with part-timers there to chip in when necessary. With Dawson both acting as a ballast at No.8 and providing a front-line spin option to bowl at any point in the innings, they look a far better side.
Fifth bowler vulnerability holds out
The way England have chosen to balance the side, fielding just two frontline quicks, leaves Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks to share the fifth bowler role between them. While the return of Dawson, two seamers and two spin-bowling all-rounders gives a better balanced feel to the side – particularly ahead of a T20 World Cup in Asia – there's a potential vulnerability for sides to exploit. Both Jacks and Bethell were expensive bowling on a small ground largely in the middle overs at Durham, and relying on the two will face tougher examinations as that tournament looms closer. However, with two frontline spinners in Dawson and Rashid, and the ability to play two specialist seamers, there's plenty in the attack. Bethell's four wickets at 20 apiece in the series were the best of part-timers from both sides.
Middle-order power-house takes shape
The clearest vision of Harry Brook's tenure taking shape is in the middle-order powerhouse, with Jos Buttler at No.3, Brook himself at No.4, and Bethell at No.5. Buttler was back to his imperious best at The Oval, while Bethell and Brook starred finishing off a huge total in Southampton. That middle order looks complete with Tom Banton back in, batting lower down the order than he has in his T20 career previously. Allowing Bethell proper space in the middle order, with Banton playing the innings-finisher role as he did effectively in Bristol, there's a clearly defined arc to an innings throughout the batting order.
Shai Hope era makes faltering start
The clear mismatch in the ODI leg was predictable, and on paper at least that shouldn't have been the case for the T20I series. It was also easy to miss amidst the Harry Brook show that West Indies were also at the start of a new era of sorts, Shai Hope now captain across both white-ball formats. Jason Holder came back in for the first time in the format for over a year, with Andre Russell too set to play a role. But, after three big losses with few bright spots to choose from – save the cameos from their captain – and the sub-plot of permanently losing Nicholas Pooran from their ranks in the background, it's hard to push away fears of a step back in the revitalisation in the format West Indies have achieved since the 2022 T20 World Cup.
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