Cook makes Brook prediction after England star's "fantastic start"

16 February 2023 , 09:36

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Sir Alastair Cook has been hugely impressed by Harry Brook's start to his international career (Image: Getty Images)

Harry Brook top scored for England with a rapid 89 in the first Test against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui, continuing his dream start to his international career.

Already a T20 World Cup winner, the 23-year-old has now smashed 569 runs at an average of 81.28 in his first seven Test innings against the likes of South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand.

And England legend Sir Alastair Cook has been hugely impressed by Brook, having played against a teenage Brook when he scored his maiden first-class hundred back in 2018, tipping the 23-year-old to be "one of England's premier batters" in all formats when he gets more international experience under his belt.

"I saw him playing for Yorkshire a couple of years ago against Essex and he got a brilliant hundred against Simon Harmer on a spinning wicket and there was certainly something about him to be excited about," Cook told BT Sport.

"He's learnt his game over the last couple of years and he's now learning in international cricket. He's had a fantastic start in his Test career, [he's] a fantastic player of spin and he demonstrated that brilliantly against Pakistan.

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"We know there's going to be trials and tribulations along the way, but he seems to be made of absolutely the right stuff and that's what you're judged on when you first come into the side.

Brook showed his class with an outstanding 89 against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui (Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

"It's not necessarily the talent, it's how you handle the pressure of international cricket and he seems to have done it really well.

"He played a big part in the T20 World Cup [win] without being outstanding, but those experiences that he's having as a young guy [mean that] in the next 4 or 5 years when he's thrown into those situations again he's going to be one of England's premier batters."

Reflecting on his innings, Brook told BT Sport: "It's good to be back out there with these lads as well, I felt good out there. Unfortunately, I didn't get the hundred but at the end of the day, I got a Test 89 so I'm happy with that."

Matthew Cooper