Brook says England are ready for India: 'We've kept a calm and clear head in key moments'
England go into Thursday's clash with an unbeaten Super 8 record and a captain in form. Brook scored a match-winning century against Pakistan in the game that sealed their semi-final place, and afterwards admitted he was "a bit nervous at the end" but focused on putting the opposition "under pressure throughout" his innings.
That blend of honesty and intent sums up this England side under Brook. They are not pretending the occasion does not matter, but they are backing themselves to handle it when it does.
Jacks on the Brook era
Will Jacks, who has been one of England's most consistent performers this tournament, described the current setup as being "built on a calm and clear mindset rather than perfection." Speaking to reporters, Jacks said the squad has found a way to manage pressure situations collectively.
"In key moments we've kept a calm and clear head and we've managed to negotiate those well," Jacks said. It is a notable shift from the Jos Buttler era, where England's approach was sometimes described as fearless but occasionally reckless. Under Brook, there appears to be more structure behind the aggression.
The Buttler question
Jos Buttler remains in the squad as a specialist batter, but his role has changed significantly. The former captain has not kept wicket at this tournament, with Sanju Samson's counterpart Phil Salt taking the gloves for England. Buttler's experience in ICC knockouts is something England will lean on regardless of his role. He has played in two T20 World Cup finals, winning in 2022 in Australia, and knows what the business end of a major tournament demands.
England's record against India in knockouts
England have reason to back themselves. They dismantled India by 10 wickets in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final in Adelaide, one of the most one-sided knockout results in the tournament's history. Jos Buttler and Alex Hales chased down 169 without losing a wicket that day.
India reversed the result in emphatic fashion in 2024, winning the semi-final by 68 runs in Guyana. So the ledger between these two sides in T20 World Cup semi-finals stands at 1-1, and both teams know exactly what losing to the other feels like.
Wankhede presents a different test
Playing India at the Wankhede is a different proposition to meeting them at a neutral venue. The crowd will be overwhelmingly behind the hosts, and the conditions in Mumbai at this time of year tend to favour batting teams in the evening session when dew arrives. England will need to manage both the atmosphere and the conditions, particularly if they bat second.
Brook has handled pressure situations in India before, including his debut Test series in 2022-23 where he scored three centuries. Whether that translates to a T20 knockout in front of 33,000 Indian fans at the Wankhede remains to be seen, but his record suggests he will not be fazed.
