Harry Brook’s brilliant 99-run knock during the third day of the first Test at Headingley earned applause from former England captain Nasser Hussain, who called it “a spectacular exhibition” of strokeplay. Yet, amidst the praise, Hussain didn’t shy away from pointing out a glaring vulnerability — Brook’s struggle against the short ball.

Brook, who was earlier dismissed on zero by Jasprit Bumrah on a no-ball after miscuing a bouncer, fell just one run short of a century in nearly identical fashion. Prasidh Krishna, noticing the pattern, banged one in short on middle stump.

Harry Brook, looking to take it on once again, top-edged it to deep square leg where Shardul Thakur held on. It was a painful end to a stunning innings, and the disappointment was evident as Brook trudged back, his bat barely lifted.

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In his Daily Mail column, Naase Hussain dissected the dismissal and warned that Brook’s pull shot could become a double-edged sword. “The issue for Brook, and Australia will be watching closely, is the short ball,” he wrote. “If Bumrah hadn’t overstepped on Day 2, Brook would’ve been out hooking. He has to decide how he handles that challenge. Will he take it on? Or find an alternative?”

Hussain added that with Australia’s larger grounds coming into play later this year, the risk of the hook shot could outweigh the reward. “You’ve got to weigh risk vs reward. And the only way to settle that is by working on your game, finding what suits your style, and adjusting accordingly,” he advised.

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Brook’s near-century was crucial in helping England reach 465, just six runs short of India’s 471. India then stretched their lead to 96 by stumps, ending Day 3 at 102/2, setting up a gripping remainder of the match.