Ricky Ponting picks England cricketer as the best Test batter in the world currently
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has heaped praise on England's Harry Brook, terming him the best batter in the world currently. Ponting noted that Brook's prolific nature of scoring, and performances away from home make him excellent to watch.
Brook, on Wednesday, December 11, climbed to the top of the ICC men's Test batting rankings, displacing teammate Joe Root from the position. England's second Test against New Zealand in Wellington saw the youngster slam his eighth ton in the format. He had also hit a massive 171 in the first Test in Christchurch.
When asked if the England batter was the best in the format currently, Ponting replied in the affirmative. The 49-year-old pointed out that Brook was also scoring his runs quickly. Speaking on the latest episode of the ICC Review, he opined:
"He probably is (the best Test batter in the world) right now. He is doing some pretty amazing things and most of them he is doing away from home. That's his seventh hundred now away from home out of eight or nine hundreds and it's the way he gets his runs, with class and he gets them quickly under this new regime and I love watching him play."
The 25-year-old has scored only one Test hundred at home which came against the West Indies in Nottingham earlier this year. Brook also joined an elite list of English players to score a triple hundred, reaching the milestone against Pakistan in Multan.
Ricky Ponting recalls getting Harry Brook in the IPL auction ahead of the 2024 edition
Ponting, then with the Delhi Capitals, had signed Brook for for INR 4 crore ahead of IPL 2024. He reflected on the decision, stating:
"I got him in the IPL auction last year because I think he's a generational type of player. I think he's really starting to show that now at Test level and I think he can do the same across all three formats."
Brook, however, couldn't fulfil his commitments as he withdrew from the league due to his grandmother's demise. The Capitals signed him again in the IPL auction for INR 6.25 crore in November. He last played in the IPL for SunRisers Hyderabad in 2023.