Brook is 'far and away' best batter in world - Root

Harry Brook is "by acold and distant the champion subordinate successful the world", according to his England team-mate Joe Root.

Root, 33, is ranked arsenic the fig 1 batter successful the satellite by the International Cricket Council, 1 spot up of Brook.

Brook made 123 successful England's decision of New Zealand successful Wellington, his 2nd period of the bid pursuing a triple-century connected the circuit of Pakistan.

"To beryllium capable to conception an innings similar that disconnected the backmost of different exceptional 100 the week before, with specified an all-round crippled - helium tin sorb pressure, helium tin use it," said Root.

"He tin whack you implicit your caput for six. He tin scoop you implicit his caput for six. He tin smack spin. He tin smack seam."

Root besides made a period successful Wellington, his 36th successful Test cricket. Only 4 men successful the past of the crippled person made more. In Pakistan, Root became England's starring run-scorer of each time.

But the commencement of Brook's vocation has eclipsed that of his Yorkshire colleague. The 25-year-old has 2,280 runs successful his 23 Tests. No England subordinate has had much aft the aforesaid fig of games.

Brook's mean of 61.62 is the 3rd highest successful past of batters to person played astatine slightest 20 innings, down the large Sir Don Bradman and his chap Australian Adam Voges.

Root has often been bracketed successful the 'Fab Four' of Test batting, alongside Australia's Steve Smith, Kane Williamson of New Zealand and Indian Virat Kohli.

Brook is successful a caller procreation of run-scorers, including India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sri Lankan Kamindu Mendis and New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra.

"Brookie is by acold and distant the champion subordinate successful the satellite astatine the minute," said Root.

Of Root, Brook said: "I'm trying to drawback him, but he's excessively good, isn't he? He's evidently 1 of the champion players, if not the champion players, to person ever played the game. It's mega to play with him and he's awesome to watch."

England sealed the bid with their 323-run triumph successful Wellington. It is their archetypal distant bid triumph successful 2 years and archetypal successful New Zealand since 2008.

Brook did not instrumentality the tract arsenic England completed triumph connected Sunday due to the fact that of an ankle wounded sustained playing football.

He is not thought to beryllium a uncertainty for the last Test of the bid successful Hamilton connected Saturday (22:00 GMT, Friday).

New Zealand person made a alteration to their squad, arsenic opener Devon Conway misses for the commencement of his archetypal child.

Will Young is apt to instrumentality his spot successful the side, with Mark Chapman called into the squad.