Pujara Reveals India's Plan to Tackle Brook in T20 WC Semi-Final

The former Indian batter has suggested that the Suryakumar Yadav-led side must target the stumps consistently to restrict Brook's scoring options.

The Three Lions skipper has been among England's prominent performers in the ongoing tournament so far, registering scores of 100 (51) vs Pakistan, 26 vs New Zealand, 4 vs Sri Lanka, and 8 vs Nepal.

Brook's century against Pakistan also made him the first captain to score a hundred in the men's T20 World Cup.

Speaking on JioHotstar, Pujara explained how Indian bowlers should approach Brook during the thrilling semi-final clash at the Wankhede.

"If you see, the majority of his runs are on the leg side. However, someone like Harry Brook is also strong on the offside. So, it is not just about the data; you also need to consider the batter's strengths. Brook predominantly scores on the leg side, but at the same time, he can score on the off-side as well. How do you get him out? By keeping as many deliveries as possible on the stumps, because whenever he misses, the ball should hit the stumps. When he creates room on the off-side, that is where he is slightly vulnerable," Pujara explained.

The 38-year-old Pujara also felt the mystery spinner, Varun Chakaravarthy, could pose the biggest threat to Brook.

"I think Varun will be the most dangerous bowler against Harry Brook because Brook likes to play the sweep and the slog sweep. If he is given any room on the off-side, Varun has his googly, which comes back in and hits the stumps. Out of his three dismissals, two have been bowled. So, as a bowler, you should target the middle and off stump, or at most the fourth stump, nothing wider than that," the former Indian cricketer said.

Pujara further elaborated on the technical changes made by the India opener Abhishek Sharma, particularly in his stance and alignment.

"If you look at his stance, his front-foot toe is now facing towards cover, and his shoulders are straight. Earlier, his toe was pointing towards mid-off, and his shoulder was open. With the current stance, his hands are very close to his body, which is also allowing him to maintain good balance with his head," he said.

He added that these adjustments have strengthened Abhishek's offside game. "Abhishek is very strong on the off side. If you look at his boundary options, anything in that zone, in the fifth or sixth stump line, closer to the wide line, he is extremely strong, and his strike-rate is very good."

Pujara pointed out that England pacer Jofra Archer's natural angle away from left-handers could play into Abhishek's Strengths.

"Now, what is Jofra Archer's strength? Most of his deliveries, when he releases the ball, go away from the left-hander. That is why Abhishek has been very successful against Jofra Archer in the past. I still believe that even at the Wankhede, he will look to give himself a little bit of room, try to go over point or over cover, and score as many runs as possible on the off side," Pujara concluded.

India is set to face England in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The winner of the high-stakes clash will meet New Zealand in the summit clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

- ANI