The best player in the world – Joe Root hails in-form England batter Harry Brook

Joe Root believes England team-mate Harry Brook has established himself as the best cricketer in the world.

Brook has been in inspired form on the Test tour of New Zealand, hitting back-to-back centuries in Christchurch and Wellington to help his side claim the series 2-0 with one to play.

The 25-year-old now has eight hundreds in his first 23 Tests and averages a remarkable 61.62, the third highest mark of all time among batters with at least 20 innings. A punishing strike-rate of 88.57 per hundred puts him streets ahead of the other names on that list.

Root is currently ranked as the number one Test batter by the International Cricket Council, with Brook pushing hard in second place, but has tipped his fellow Yorkshireman as the best in the business.

“If you asked me, Brooky is by far and away the best player in the world at the minute,” he said.

“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.”

Brook was more than happy to repay the compliment to Root, who hit the 36th century of his career in the second Test at Basin Reserve and has more runs than anyone in 2024 with 1,470.

“I’m trying to catch him, but he’s too good, isn’t he?” he said.

“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. It’s mega to play with him and he’s awesome to watch.

“I’ve only played 22 or 23 games, whatever, 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 everywhere.”

Root’s rich seam of form has been recognised with a place of the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year shortlist, 12 months on from Stuart Broad’s runner-up finish and five years since Ben Stokes became cricket’s last winner.

Speaking after hearing of his nomination, Root said: “I didn’t expect that at all, really. I guess honorued to be involved in it.

“It’s been a wonderful year of sports, so to even be considered is pretty humbling, to be honest. I don’t really know how to sum it up. (Hopefully) a few Yorkies..if you can dial in. It’s a free number, so maybe I’ll get a few votes.”

Test captain Stokes won over the British public with his heroics in 2019, carrying England to victory in the World Cup final and producing an Ashes miracle at Headingley later that summer.

He has endured a series of injury problems over the past couple of years, undergoing knee surgery and missing four of the last eight games with a torn hamstring, but enjoyed his best all-round appearance for some time in Wellington. For the first time since August 2022 he scored 50 runs and took four wickets in the same match, a galvanising performance that left Root delighted.

“He can talk the talk, but to walk it too… it can only lift you can’t it? He’s been England’s talisman for his whole career. To see him back scoring runs, charging into the wind, bowling bouncers, that’s what you want from from your leader, and what we’ve all come to expect from him, but he’s had to contend with so much over the last year.”

New Zealand will make at least one enforced change for the third and final Test in Hamilton, with out of form opener Devon Conway withdrawing from the squad ahead of the birth of his first child. Will Young is likely to be recalled, with Mark Chapman joining up as cover.