WORLD BROOK DAYS

Root reckons Harry is the planet's best player

- RORY DOLLARD

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.

And a punishing strike-rate of 88.57 per hundred puts him streets ahead of the other names on that list.

Root is ranked as the No. 1 Test batter by the International Cricket Council, with Brook pushing hard in second place, but the former England skipper has named 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.