Root lauds Brook's batting prowess

Wellington, Dec 10: Joe Root has hailed his England and Yorkshire teammate Harry Brook for his batting prowess and said the right-hander is really difficult to bowl to, as he can whack the bowler over the head for a six and scoop over his head for a maximum and more.

Brook showcased his brilliance with a counterattacking 123 off 115 balls against New Zealand in Wellington, helping England recover from 43/4 on the first morning to secure a series-clinching 323-run victory. He described the innings as the best of his young 23-Test career, which already includes eight centuries and an impressive batting average of 61.62.

"If you asked me, Brooky is by far and away the best player in the world at the minute. He has such an all-round game: he can absorb pressure, he can apply it, he can whack you over your head for six, he can scoop you over his head for six, he can smack spin, he can smack seam. He's so hard to bowl to," Root said.

Root's remarks echo those of England captain Ben Stokes, who described Brook as 'phenomenal'. "From 40-odd for four on day one, to be sat here on the winning side halfway through day three, is pretty special," Stokes said.

"In cricket terms, that pitch was what we call a snake pit... it was doing plenty. Brooky is just phenomenal. No-one has a right to go out and score 120 on that wicket, against the attack that New Zealand have. There are only a few players in the world who could go out and play like he did and I'm glad he's in our team."

Brook's latest century, following closely on the heels of another ton in Christchurch and a triple century in Multan, has elevated the 25-year-old to second place in the ICC Test batting rankings. Notably, the rankings are still led by Joe Root, who scored his 36th Test century at the Basin Reserve, equalling Rahul Dravid's record for fifth place on the all-time Test hundreds list. It was also Root's 19th Test century since 2021, a remarkable feat that puts him 10 centuries ahead of the next best in that period, Kane Williamson.

Brook, while quick to praise his senior teammate, was modest about his own achievements, which include a stunning away Test batting average of 91.50. However, he acknowledged that he has yet to face the challenges of playing in Australia or India.

"I'm trying to catch him, but he's too good, isn't he?. He's got another hundred this week and he's obviously one of the best players, if not the best player, to have ever played the game," Brook said of Root.

"It's mega to play with him and he's awesome to watch. I've only played 22 or 23 games, so those stats can soon come soaring down. I'm just trying to keep on getting as good as I can, working hard in the nets and improving areas that are uncomfortable. You can always get better," he added.