Harry Brook has scored the most runs for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.
England white-ball captain Harry Brook is on the cusp of signing a record-breaking deal with the Indian Premier League-owned (IPL) Sunrisers Leeds franchise, formerly known as Northern Superchargers, for The Hundred 2026. The tournament will shift from its original player draft system to an IPL-like auction from the next season for both men’s and women’s competitions. The Hundred will host its first-ever player auction in March 2026.
According to The Telegraph, Sunrisers Leeds have turned to England’s premium white-ball batter Harry Brook to sign a deal worth upwards of GBP 400,000 (INR 4.72 crore) per season. Alongside him, Brydon Carse and Australia’s T20I captain Mitchell Marsh are reportedly the other signings of the Sunrisers.
Harry Brook has represented Northern Superchargers across all five The Hundred seasons so far. He has amassed 902 runs in 33 innings at an average of 37.58 with a strike rate of 162.52, including a century and four fifties. Notably, he is the only batter to score 500+ runs for the franchise.
All eight teams are now allowed to make four direct signings before the auction, spending up to GBP 950,000 (INR 11.23 crore) of their season budget.
The report also claimed that at least one England player from each team could earn more than GBP 400,000 (INR 4.72 crore) per season in the tournament. England’s top central contract players currently earn around GBP 1 million (INR 11.82 crore) per year, with contracts now given on a multi-year basis.
Apart from Brook, England’s pace spearhead Jofra Archer is expected to sign a lucrative deal with Southern Brave of around GBP 400,000 (INR 4.72 crore) per season, owned by Indian conglomerate GMR group, the co-owners of Delhi Capitals (DC). Oval Invincibles, to be renamed MI London, are targeting Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Rashid Khan, and Trent Bould as their four pre-signed players.
Manchester Originals are likely to retain the services of former England captain Jos Buttler and Afghan china-man spinner Noor Ahmad, while Joe Root is expected to remain with Trent Rockets.
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With IPL-owners taking control of The Hundred franchises, the England Cricket Board (ECB) is anticipated to lose control over top players’ workloads, especially during busy home summers. Previously, the ECB had a final say over centrally contracted players’ participation in franchise leagues like the IPL, with players like Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, and Mark Wood often prioritising England over franchise leagues.
However, the ECB no longer has the authority to keep its players fresh and fit, asking them to skip certain fixtures or not giving a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Now, it can only be agreed between the player and the franchise, both of whom are likely to focus on maximising value given the high investments involved.
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