You know a player is good when he is tipped to take Joe Root’s England records.
That comment was no mean line, but said Sir Alastair Cook, who recently eclipsed Root as his country’s highest Test run-scorer, when he analyzed Harry Brook’s astonishing success in his first 22 Tests: 2102 runs, average 60.05, seven hundreds.
Root (12,777 runs and 35 hundreds) is nowhere near finished and can post numbers that stand the test of time, while Brooke is just getting started and could eventually top any England record may appear by this extraordinary talent.
Brook was dismissed five times by New Zealand as he made 171 in Christchurch
Brooke is already racking up quite a few stats.
The second fastest Englishman to 2000 Test runs, doing so in 36 innings compared to Root’s 43, and the second best average of any England player from 20 or more Tests.The only man to better him on both lists is Yorkshire’s Herbert Sutcliffe.
Perhaps he will even challenge Len Hutton’s record of 364. He already got 317 in Pakistan in October – and you certainly wouldn’t let him surpass Gilbert Jessop’s record 76-ball England Test ton set against Australia in 1902.
Brooke’s last Test century against New Zealand in Christchurchcame in a quieter, but certainly not slower, 123 balls and included him being dropped three times, first on the 18th.
He was then bowled twice more on 106 and 147 before being dismissed for 171 as his average in away Tests rose to 89.40.Only the great Don Bradman (102.84) has a higher overseas average in the history of the game in tests.
Brooke is an incredible player, an incredible talent. To have someone of his ability in our middle order is outstanding. He keeps trying to put pressure on the bowlers and goes from strength to strength.
“Brooke never seems to have to play herself.”
Brook’s dazzling numbers may slip at some point, the bowlers may find some element of weakness, but Cook feels the 25-year-old has the technique and temperament to maintain his form.
“Besides his ridiculous talent, I love his body. His head and arms are in a fantastic position right under his eyes,” former England captain Cook said of Brook. TNT Sports.
“Your eyes are absolutely vital to batting and if your hands are there it gives a good indication of where you can play from.
“He never seems to have to play himself. From the first ball he seems to have bowled 20 or 30 balls. The best I have played was Root and even he took 10 or 15 balls to get in.” enter
“Brooke seems to have settled straight away and that’s why he’s had such a fantastic start to his Test career, because he seems to be able to adapt to the conditions straight away.
“I think this guy can get very close to Root and his records.”
“Brooke can go through the gears”
Brook was signed by Deli Capitals in the IPL auction last week and looks set to be a regular in the competition for years to come, though he stressed as he spoke to Sky Sports in 2022 – After approaching Jessop’s lead in Pakistan – that Test cricket is his “pinnacle”, adding that “I aim to play it as long as possible”.
Sky Sports’ Ian Ward said after Brooke’s hundred in Christchurch: “You run out of excellence, his ability is astounding.
“It’s the way he can put back pressure on the bowlers and get up and down through the gears.
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Watch the highlights of Brook’s triple hundred against Pakistan in October, when he was England’s fifth in Test cricket.
“The numbers are just staggering and you wonder how high his ceiling is and where he can go.
“The challenge for Harry is that he will be in such high demand.
“He is a three-way player, he has an IPL contract and there will be other franchises, so there is workload management.
“But in terms of his importance to England in all formats of the game, he is important and one of the first names on the team sheet.”
