England at the pivot, Brook at the centre

Times have been turbulent for English cricket, and Harry Brook has stood in the eye of the storm. The drink episode, the headlines, the noise enveloped him as England's Ashes dream unravelled. Now, at 26, the most gifted English batter of his generation carries a different burden: leading England into their first ICC tournament under his captaincy, with the echo of England's white-ball supremacy growing faint.

For years, the focus was singular: could Bazball conquer Australia? The answer arrived definitively. England must now pivot back to white-ball cricket, where they once set the pace and won World Cups.

But that was then. Since Melbourne 2022, their white-ball stock hasn't held up. Early exits followed at the 2023 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. Even the run to the semis of the 2024 T20 World Cup lacked fizz. Jos Buttler's captaincy tenure was abbreviated. Brendon McCullum's extension into the white-ball setup promised continuity. The early returns were sobering, but there have been signs of recovery. Brook has been captain for nearly a year. England need proof that the handover from one generation to the next is real.

The squad, and what it tells us

Squad: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Ben Duckett, Luke Wood, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed

England's batting runs deep and explosive. Their spin attack offers a leggie, a left-armer, and an offspinner, covering every matchup. A likely 3-3 split between pace and spin gives balance, but it asks a question. To keep batting depth intact, England might need Jamie Overton to stand up as the second frontline seamer alongside Jofra Archer. A potential weakness is an overreliance on Archer as the sole pace strike force.

The road to the World Cup

England's T20I side has quietly built momentum. Over the last year, they have won 10 of 11 matches with a result, beating South Africa, West Indies, Ireland, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka. Most encouraging were recent victories in Sri Lanka, on surfaces that should mirror what awaits in the Super Eight stage.

Last five T20Is: W-NR-W-W-W (latest)

England score faster than anyone else in T20 cricket right now. Since the last T20 World Cup, their batting run-rate of 9.83 is the best in the tournament. Their bowling economy, at 9.16, is the worst. This is a neat snapshot of England's SWOT.

The Manchester T20I against South Africa last September underlined one half of that equation emphatically. England piled up 304 in 20 overs, the highest total ever against a Full Member, a reminder of what this batting line-up can do: overwhelm.

There will always be questions about how this order holds up against high-quality spin. But England are well-covered for match-ups with a surplus of all-rounders and left-handers in the top-six.

Jacob Bethell's rise has been steep and striking, a clear marker of England's next batting cycle. Sam Curran represents reinvention. He forced his way back through a standout Hundred, then owned the franchise winter. In 2022, Curran was England's heartbeat and Player of the Tournament. His role has now shifted; he is a batter first, with his bowling used more sparingly.

Who can bend a match in 10 balls

Phil Salt. Four T20I hundreds, with the fastest in just 39 balls. A career strike-rate of 166.52. Ranked No. 2 in the world. Ten balls is often all he needs to ensure England boss the PowerPlay.

Tournament Path and Fixtures

England's group fixtures are in India, on the truer surfaces of Mumbai and Kolkata where their batting should feel at home. Their Super Eight matches are scheduled in Sri Lanka, where conditions could be slower and more exacting. If pitches wear, England's campaign may hinge on swift adaptation.

England's T20 World Cup history against fellow European sides carries scars. The Netherlands have beaten them twice. In the title-winning 2022 campaign, Ireland sprung a surprise. Scotland remain an unknown quantity; England have never faced them in a T20I. The last meeting in any format was a Scotland ODI upset in Edinburgh in 2018.

What a good World Cup looks like

For England, anything short of a semi-final would be underachievement. This remains a squad packed with match-winners and the pedigree of a two-time champion. A place in the final would affirm their direction. A title would wipe away the questions around Brook and propel him into a different league.