IPL 2023 Auction: Who is Harry Brook, England's rising star sold for Rs 13.25 crore to SunRisers Hyderabad?

Harry Brook, England's rising batter, was sold for Rs 13.25 crore at the IPL 2023 Auction in Kochi to SunRisers Hyderabad. After a fantastic Test series against Pakistan in which the 22-year-old scored up to three centuries, Brook entered the auction as one of the most sought-after players. 

Brook's outstanding performance led to England's 3-0 victory in the Test series. He also rose to the position of the series' top run-scorer.

While representing the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Brook displayed his class. The young player also played for Hobart Hurricanes of the Big Bash League and the Northern Superchargers of the Men's Hundred.

In 20 T20Is for England, Brook scored 372 runs at an average of 26.57, a strike rate of 133.77 with one fifty, and a top score of an unbeaten 81.

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Here's all you need to know about Harry Brook, who Ben Stokes once called the 'Virat Kohli of English cricket':

Although Brook was raised in Burley in Wharfedale, he was born in Keighley. His relatives were active club cricket players. Ilkley Grammar School, a comprehensive school in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, was where he received his education. He left at the age of 14 after receiving a scholarship offer to the independent boarding school Sedbergh School in Cumbria. 

According to author Alex Mason for the Cricketer Magazine, Brook's career during his school years was greatly influenced by former professional cricketer and Sedbergh School cricket coach Martin Speight.

While still in school, Brook made his first-class debut for Yorkshire against Pakistan A on June 26, 2016, at Headingley. On June 19, 2017, at Lord's, he made his County Championship debut for Yorkshire against Middlesex. His debut came after Yorkshire's second eleven hit three centuries in two weeks. Brook participated in two under-19 Test matches and five under-19 LOIs against the India under-19s during England's early 2017 tour to India.

On July 5, 2018, Brook made his Twenty20 debut for Yorkshire in the 2018 t20 Blast. Northern Superchargers acquired his services for The Hundred 2021 competition.

Lahore Qalandars signed Brook in 2022. When Lahore was 12-3 in the match against Islamabad United, Brook got to bat. He hit an undefeated 102 off 49 balls, helping his team to a total of 197. He scored his first T20 century, making him the Pakistan Super League's youngest-ever centurion.

For the 2022 season of The Hundred, the Northern Superchargers purchased Brook in April 2022. Brook will represent the Johannesburg Super Kings (JSK), who paid R2.3 million for his services, in South Africa's new SA20 league.

In a five-game youth ODI series against India in August 2017, Brook served as the England under-19 cricket squad captain. Brook was chosen to lead England's team at the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in December 2017. He scored 102 not out against Bangladesh in England's second group match, becoming Alastair Cook the only other England skipper to reach a century at the U19 World Cup. The International Cricket Council (ICC) named Brook the team's rising star after England's performances in the competition. With 239 runs, he led England in runs scored during the competition.

Brook was included in the England T20I squad for the series against the West Indies in January 2022. On January 26, 2022, he played in his first T20 International for England against the West Indies. Brook was selected for the England Test team in May 2022 in preparation for their domestic series against New Zealand. 

Brook was included in the England One Day International (ODI) team for their domestic series against India in July 2022. He was included in England's Test team for their matchup with South Africa in August 2022. On September 8, 2022, he played in his first Test match for England against South Africa. Brook was included in the England team in September 2022 for the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup, which England ultimately won.

ALSO READ: IPL 2023 Auction LIVE: Full list of players UNSOLD

During the recently concluded England's tour to Pakistan, Harry Brook not only hit a ton in each Test(as well as 87 off 65 in the second innings at Rawalpindi), but he scored at a strike-rate of 101 – absurd for a 22-year-old in his first entire Test series.

SunRisers Hyderabad might just have bagged their next batting sensation.