How great can England's Harry Brook become after stunning start to Test career?

Sir Alastair Cook feels Harry Brook can challenge Joe Root's England records; Brook has seven tons in 22 Tests and averages over 60, with Sky Sports' Ian Ward saying: "His ability is staggering and it is the manner with which he can put pressure back on bowlers and go through the gears"

Monday 2 December 2024 08:00, UK

You know a player is a good when they are tipped to potentially snatch Joe Root's England records.

That comment was not a throwaway line but said by Sir Alastair Cook - the man Root recently eclipsed as his country's highest Test run-getter - as he analysed Harry Brook's startling success across his first 22 Tests: 2,102 runs, average of 60.05, seven hundreds.

Root (12,777 runs and 35 hundreds) is nowhere near done and could post numbers that stand the test of time, while Brook is only getting started and may eventually plateau. If he doesn't, any England record looks in danger of being grabbed by this extraordinary talent.

Brook is already racking up quite the statistics.

Second-fastest Englishman to 2,000 Test runs - doing so in 36 innings compared to Root's 43 - and second-best average of any England player from 20 Tests or more. The only man to better him on both lists is fellow Yorkshireman Herbert Sutcliffe.

Perhaps he will even challenge Len Hutton's record 364 - he has already got 317 after all, in Pakistan in October - and you certainly wouldn't put it past him trumping Gilbert Jessop's record 76-ball England Test ton, which was set against Australia in 1902.

Brook's latest Test century, against New Zealand in Christchurch, came from a more sedate, but definitely not slow, 123 balls and included him being dropped three times, firstly on 18.

He was then shelled twice more, on 106 and 147, before being dismissed for 171 as his average in away Test matches rose to 89.40. Only the great Don Bradman (102.84) averages higher in overseas Tests in the history of the game.

'Brook never seems to have to play himself in'

Brook's dazzling numbers may drift at some point, bowlers may find some element of weakness, but Cook feels the 25-year-old has the technique and temperament to maintain his form.

"Apart from his ridiculous amount of talent, I love his set-up. His head and his hands are in a fantastic position right under his eyes," former England captain Cook said of Brook on TNT Sports.

"Your eyes are absolutely vital for batting and if your hands are under there, it gives a good indication of where you can play from.

"He doesn't ever seem to have to play himself in. From ball one it's like he's been at the crease from 20 or 30 balls. The greatest I played with was Root and even he took 10 or 15 balls to get in.

"Brook looks like he's 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 could get very close to Root and his records."

'Brook has ability to go through the gears'

Brook was signed by Deli Capitals in the IPL auction last week and looks set to be a regular in that competition over the coming years, although he stressed when speaking to Sky Sports in 2022 - after coming close to topping Jessop in Pakistan - that Test cricket is his "pinnacle", adding "I am striving to play it as long as possible."

Sky Sports' Ian Ward said after Brook's hundred in Christchurch: "You are running out of superlatives. His ability is staggering.

"It is the manner with which he can put pressure back on bowlers and go up and down through the gears.

"The numbers are just stunning 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-faceted player, has an IPL contract and there will be other franchises, so there is workload management.

"But in terms of his importance for England in all formats of the game, he is a linchpin and one of the first names on the team sheet."

England's Test tour of New Zealand

First Test (Christchurch): England won by eight wickets
Second Test: December 6-10 (Wellington)
Third Test: December 14-18 (Hamilton)