Nightclub fallout has been horrendous - Brook

Harry Brook has described the last two months as “pretty horrendous” after the disclosure that he was involved in an altercation with a Wellington nightclub bouncer on the eve of an England match and subsequently misled reporters about the presence of team-mates.

England’s T20 World Cup captain, preparing to face Nepal in Mumbai on Sunday, spoke publicly for the first time since confirming that other players were with him during the November incident, an admission that emerged during the recent tour of Sri Lanka.

“It has just not been easy,” Brook told BBC Sport. “People have been able to support me around the group, but it’s not been a very nice time of my life.”

The 26-year-old was fined by the England and Wales Cricket Board and issued with a final written warning once the details surfaced in January, but the matter remains under investigation by the sport’s regulator, limiting what he can say publicly.

Brook conceded the episode has underlined the weight of leadership. “I’ve definitely learned there’s a hell of a lot more responsibility on your shoulders when you’re captain,” he said. “Anything you do can really turn against you, so you’ve got to be on the ball pretty much all of the time.”

Despite the distraction, Brook enters the tournament in prime form, having struck an unbeaten 136 from 66 balls in the final ODI against Sri Lanka last month. England arrive having won 10 of their last 11 T20 internationals, including a 3-0 sweep of Sri Lanka that secured dual white-ball series victories under Brook’s captaincy.

Phil Salt, who missed the last T20 of that tour with a back spasm, has been declared fit, while left-arm quick Luke Wood edges out Jamie Overton in the only change for Sunday’s opener. England will play their entire Super 8 schedule in Sri Lanka should they advance.

Brook insists his batting has not suffered. “When you get out to the wicket everything just seems to float away,” he said. “Luckily I got into that bubble and I managed to bat fairly well.”

England have opted against a final training session on Saturday, unwilling to undertake a three-hour round trip to Navi Mumbai while the Wankhede Stadium hosts India’s curtain-raiser against the United States.

England team to face Nepal: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (capt), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood.