Colombo, Jan 31 (IANS) England skipper Harry Brook has changed his version of a late-night incident in Wellington last year, when he was struck by a nightclub bouncer, admitting that other players were also present with him during the altercation, after previously claiming he was alone.

However, in a new statement he released on Friday, Brook admitted that other players were with him, admitting he had misled reporters to protect the players “from being drawn into a situation”.

“I accept responsibility for my actions in Wellington and acknowledge others were present that evening. I regret my previous comments, and my intention was to protect my teammates from being drawn into a situation that arose as a result of my decisions. I have apologised and will continue to reflect on the matter,” said Brook, as quoted by the BBC.

“This has been a challenging period in my career, but one from which I am learning. I recognise I have more to learn regarding the off-field responsibilities that come with leadership and captaincy. I remain committed to developing in this area and to improving both personally and professionally,” he added.

Brook’s comments came after a report in the Telegraph revealed that Brook, Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue were all under investigation by the ECB.

Brook’s revised stance contrasts sharply with comments he made last week, when he portrayed the incident as a solitary lapse in judgment and distanced his teammates from the episode.

“There was no intention of going out, no intention of putting ourselves in a tricky situation,” he had said. “I took it upon myself to go out for a few more, and I was on my own there. I shouldn’t have been there. I was trying to get into a club, and the bouncer just clocked me, unfortunately. I wouldn’t say I was leathered. I’d had one too many drinks,” he said to the media ahead of the Sri Lanka tour.

Meanwhile, the England cricket team started their preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 on a high, as they beat the co-hosts Sri Lanka in the first match of the T20I series in Pallekele Cricket Stadium on Friday.

The T20 World Cup will be the first time Brook will be captaining the side in an ICC event.

–IANS

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