'Fittest and strongest': Brook reveals his ambition for England

The message from England ODI and T20 captain Harry Brook is loud and clear; he wants his cricket side to be the fittest and strongest in the world.

Brook referenced a focus on fitness multiple times during his press conference ahead of England's warm-up match against Western Australia at the WACA Ground on Saturday.

The tourists have learned their lesson from last summer's Ashes, with their preparations for this month's ODI and T20 series against Australia vastly different to the Test team's tour 12 months ago.

Extra fitness sessions are part of the equation, as is the hit-out against an opponent (WA) on a WACA Ground pitch similar to what they will face in next Friday's first ODI.

It's a noticeable contrast to the docile Lilac Hill surface in Perth's eastern suburbs where England played an intra-squad game during last year's Ashes build-up. 

While Brook denied the change in their pre-series actions were in response to last summer's disastrous Ashes campaign, where England also came under fire for several off-field incidents, the side's white-ball skipper is leading the charge on a mentality shift.

"(This tour) is a completely different format and different group of players," Brook told reporters on Friday.

"Obviously, it would have been nice to win the Ashes, as always, but it's a different challenge (this time) ... and a different squad of (Australian) players we're playing against as well.

"(A focus on fitness) should always be there as a professional athlete I believe; it's a non-negotiable. You can never guarantee performance, but you can guarantee fitness and an ability to bounce back a couple of days later.

"We have used (the past few days) as a little bit of a training camp. We haven't really had that as a white-ball group over the past few years with the scheduling.

"We want to be one of the fittest and strongest sides in the world, and to do that we can be slightly better and get in the gym a little bit more, do more running and just work generally a lot better on our fitness.

"Our schedule over the next few months and during the (2027 ODI) World Cup is a hefty schedule with a lot of travelling and a lot of games back-to-back.

"It's going to be a tough tournament.

"Whether you win or lose, you can never guarantee that. You can guarantee that the off-field preparation can be a lot better."

The ODI World Cup in southern Africa begins in October next year and England's squad, like Australia's, has undergone a transformation since the previous tournament three years ago.

Both sides will be seeking to use the three-match ODI series to test out their combinations in the build towards global 50-over showpiece in just under a years' time.

Brook said veteran leg-spinner Adil Rashid was a game-by-game proposition depending on the pitch and conditions after the 38-year-old featured in just one of four games during a recent tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka in which England finished third.

"We felt like left-arm spin was more suited to those conditions in Pakistan ... but he's raring to go," Brook said.

Brook was also coy on how rising star Jacob Bethell – who hit a memorable 154 from No.3 during last summer's SCG Ashes Test – would be deployed in their white-ball sides. 

Bethell spent the second half of the English summer recovering from a knee injury and Brook said the allrounder "could be a very vital player" for the team going forward.

The WACA pitch is famous for its pace and bounce, and Brook said the tour match against WA would help familiarise his side with the similar conditions that await across the Swan River at Perth Stadium for the ODI series opener on November 13.

Brook said he would be keeping a close eye on WA speedster Mahli Beardman on Saturday, who is also part of Australia's squad for the three ODIs and five T20Is that follow.

"I've never played against (Beardman). I've watched him in the Big Bash for the Scorchers," Brook said. "He looks like an exciting bowler, has got some pace behind him and a nice action as well."

Australia v England ODI & T20I Series 2026

50-over tour match: November 7 v WA, WACA Ground, 2:30pm AEDT (D/N)

First ODI: November 13, Perth Stadium, 2:30pm AEDT (D/N)

Second ODI: November 15, Adelaide Oval, 2:30pm AEDT (D/N)

Third ODI: November 18, Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 2:30pm AEDT (D/N)

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Ollie Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Liam Scott, Adam Zampa.

England squad: Harry Brook (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Josh Tongue

First T20I: November 21, MCG, 7:15pm AEDT

Second T20I: November 24, Gold Coast Stadium, 7:15pm AEDT

Third T20I: November 27, The Gabba, 7:15pm AEDT

Fourth T20I: November 29, SCG, 7:15pm AEDT

Fifth T20I: December 2, Manuka Oval, 7:15pm AEDT

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim David, Joel Davies, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Spencer Johnson, Mitch Owen, Lachlan Shaw, Adam Zampa

England squad: Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Aneurin Donald, Eddie Jack, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Thomas Rew, Phil Salt, Luke Wood.