Opinion

Harry Brook is playing on a different planet: Joe Root

Written by Shreyas Vyas

England batting star Joe Root heaped praise on Harry Brook, saying the young superstar has made it seem like he is batting on another planet. Root expressed his admiration for Brook even as the Yorkshire batter, 24, has made the world sit up and take notice of his batting skills, especially in Test cricket. 

Brook has had a sensational start to his Test career, scoring as many as 4 hundreds in the first 6 matches. Brook had an ordinary debut against South Africa at home but he went on to demolish the Pakistan bowling attack in Pakistan, playing the enforcer’s role in the middle-order, augmenting England’s ‘Bazball’ approach. 

Brook carried his form to New Zealand, smashing 89 and 54 in the first Test which England won by 267 runs. In the second Test, Brook did not mind the greenish tinge on the Wellington pitch as he went on to hit his highest Test score of 186 in just 176 balls, hitting 24 boundaries and 5 sixes.

It was Brook’s highest Test score as the young batter rated it as his best knock yet in whites. Brook walked into bat and join former captain Root when England were reeling at 21 for 3 but the youngster played fearlessly and put the pressure right back on the New Zealand bowlers. 

“When you’re batting at the other end to Brook at the minute he’s making your life a lot easier. It was quite nice to bounce off him and we restore that calmness in the dressing room. A partnership like that is always going to set things up nicely.”

“I think that kind of a player is Ravindra Jadeja. I think the vice-captaincy now should be given to Jadeja because it will give him more responsibility. He has been playing really well. As a senior player, he has played for a long time. He is at the peak of his abilities in his batting and bowling,” he added. 

About the author

Shreyas Vyas