Broad names "pretty special" England star who is "more talented" than Root

12 February 2023 , 14:40

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Stuart Broad believes Harry Brook is "more talented" than Joe Root (Image: Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Stuart Broad believes he has never "seen a more talented player in my career" than England teammate Harry Brook, who has taken international cricket by storm since making his debut last year.

Brook could not have wished for a better start to his England career, having helped them win the T20 World Cup before smashing three consecutive Test centuries in a historic series whitewash against Pakistan.

And Broad, who has played more than 300 games for England since making his international debut back in 2006, had some high praise for Brook as he compared him to former captain Joe Root.

"This England environment has contributed to the development of Harry Brook and I don't think I've seen a more talented player in my career," Broad said in his latest column for the Daily Mail.

"The cleanliness of his ball striking, the way he plays spin, his addiction to batting. Joe Root is right up there for the catalogue of runs he has put together but give Harry the amount of cricket Joe's played and we could see something pretty special.

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"He picks up length so quickly and he is just so versatile that he hits the same ball off the spinner by putting it back over his head, or pulling it for six over mid-wicket."

Broad believes Brook is "pretty special" (AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)

And Brook believes 2023 will be an even better year than 2022, with England hoping to regain the Ashes from Australia and defend the 50-over World Cup they won in 2019.

"Last year was probably the best year of my life, lifestyle and cricket-wise, and I've enjoyed every minute of it," he said ahead of England's first Test of the year against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui.

"Standing here saying I'm a World Cup winner is unbelievable and nobody can ever take that away from me. It was a phenomenal year. Hopefully I can come back this year in full flow and dominate."

Matthew Cooper