IND vs ENG T20 World Cup 2026: Former India cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara has warned the host side that England captain Harry Brook will be a tough nut to crack for the Indian bowlers at the Wankhede Stadium in the high-stakes T20 World Cup semi-final on Thursday.

Brook has been England's standout performer in the ongoing T20 World Cup, with a superb century against Pakistan, where he scored 100 off 51 balls. His other notable scores include 26 against New Zealand, 4 against Sri Lanka, and 8 against Nepal.

Pujara suggested that the Men in Blue stress on targeting the stumps invariably to bound Brook's scoring possibilities, as he struggles when given limited space on the off-side.

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“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," Pujara explained on JioHotstar.

"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," he added.

Pujara believes Varun Chakaravarthy poses the biggest threat to the England captain with his googly and variations make him particularly effective.

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“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.