India, Feb. 3 -- The lie still hangs heavy over Harry Brook, one that he apparently said to protect his teammates from the repercussions of the night he was punched by a nightclub bouncer in Wellington in October. Brook was already on notice, his newly-earned white-ball captaincy on the line even before he could ease into it.

Cut to this week though and Brook wouldn't mind how things are turning out for him. A one-day hundred in Colombo and a 12-ball 36 in the Pallekele T20I, and suddenly England's white-ball identity seems to be resonating with Brook's batting again.

It is no coincidence that England's white-ball future is now tethered to Brook. In handing him captaincy, the selectors have not just chosen a player, they have reaffirmed...