Courtesy: England Cricket
Joe Root, the former England captain, made a resounding statement about his teammate Harry Brook after England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Test series against New Zealand. The 33-year-old, who is in the form of his life in Test cricket, called Harry Brook the “best player in the world,” while pointing out that he has an all-round game to absorb pressure and transfer it to the opposition, scoring big runs consistently.
In the recently concluded second Test between New Zealand and England at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, Harry Brook scored a sparkling hundred in the first innings in adverse batting conditions, scoring at better than a run-a-ball, to help the visitors post a competitive total of 280 runs. After bowling New Zealand out in their first innings for just 125 runs, Joe Root got on the act with his 36th Test hundred in the second innings, to help England reach 427/6dec.
He can absorb pressure, he can apply it: Joe Root on Harry Brook
During their pursuit of the daunting 583-run target, New Zealand were never quite in the contest despite the hundred from Tom Blundell as they were bundled out for 259 runs, losing the test match and the series by a big margin. In the aftermath of the sensational team performance, Joe Root hailed Harry Brook for setting up their recent Test win and remarked, as per the BBC Sport, “To be able to construct an innings like that off the back of another exceptional hundred the week before, with such an all-round game - he can absorb pressure, he can apply it.”
"Brookie is by far and away the best player in the world at the minute," Joe Root further added. Meanwhile, Harry Brook was equally appreciative of the senior statesman in the English team, and said, “I'm trying to catch him (Joe Root), but he's too good, isn't he? He's obviously one of the best players, if not the best players, to have ever played the game. It's mega to play with him and he's awesome to watch.”
