England white-ball captain Harry Brook has spoken candidly about the scrutiny he endured during his sole Indian Premier League season with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2023, revealing that social media criticism pushed him into a difficult headspace. Brook, now 27, said he ultimately chose to distance himself from the noise — and found a way to reframe the negativity as a backhanded compliment.

What Brook Said About the Criticism

The England skipper told BBC Sport that the online scrutiny took a toll on him both on and off the pitch. 'I got into a little bit of a rabbit hole with scrutiny and social media when I was at the IPL,' Brook said. 'It didn't help me as a person on the field or off the field. I decided to, not stay away from social media, but also not go out of my way to look at it.'

Brook had been under fire for his performances ahead of his century against the Kolkata Knight Riders, and he admitted feeling relieved to silence his critics with that innings. Despite the hundred, he finished the 2023 season with just 190 runs overall — a figure that fell well short of expectations for a batter of his calibre.

Finding a Silver Lining in the Backlash

Rather than dwelling on the negativity, Brook chose to view the scrutiny through a different lens. 'On the other hand, I actually feel it's a little bit of a compliment if people are giving me scrutiny and have an opinion about my game,' he said. 'I know it's not a nice thing to see people slagging you off, but it means people care and people think I can put in a better performance than I have done that day.'

The outlook reflects a maturity that Brook has increasingly demonstrated at the international level, where he has emerged as one of England's most dependable top-order batters across formats.

The IPL Ban and What Led to It

Brook is currently serving a ban from the IPL until 2027 and can only re-enter the league at the 2028 mega auction. The ban followed a pattern of withdrawals: after being released by Sunrisers Hyderabad post-2023, he was picked up by Delhi Capitals for ₹4 crore in the 2024 auction, only to pull out of that season following the death of his grandmother. He was then acquired again by Delhi Capitals during the 2025 mega auction for ₹6.25 crore, but withdrew once more to prioritise international commitments — a decision that triggered the two-year ban.

Despite the punishment, Brook said he does 'not really' have regrets about the choices he made. The ban effectively keeps one of world cricket's most exciting batters out of the IPL's prime window.

What's Next for Brook

With the ban in place through 2027, Brook's next realistic opportunity to feature in the IPL comes at the 2028 mega auction. In the interim, his focus remains on England's international schedule. His candid reflections on the 2023 experience suggest he has processed the episode and moved on — though the IPL's global fanbase will be watching to see whether his return, when it comes, lives up to the hype.