English cricketers are ridiculously over rated. Some people had the audacity to compare Ben Stokes to Jacques Kallis as one of 2 allrounders to score over 7000 runs and take 250 wickets. While that is true, Kallis has significantly more than 7000 runs. Harry Brook has achieved nothing in cricket, he looks a decent prospect but nothing more. On the other hand DARRYL MITCHELL! What a player! He always seems to score runs when it matters and is a proper team player and finds a way to contribute. I'm interested to see what SA do to England later this year because honestly the only great player England have is Joe Root (Even before Stokes retired).
A very fair analysis. Do feel that Brook can become a good captain in time, but he needs a different head coach. McCullum merely indulges his worst excesses. As an England fan, I'd love to see us get Justin Langer. He clearly feels like he has something to prove after how things ended with Australia. I can almost picture that first meeting with JL and Brook, as head coach plays back his dismissal against New Zealand, with the Kiwis laughing, and asking him with a pointed stare whether that's the sort of test player he wants to be. Any chance they'd go for such a pivot?
There's a big gap between the approaches of JL and MCullum. Somewhere in between might be the sweet spot, in my feeling. Reservations about JL lingered from the start of his Australian tenure, when he listed things like elite honesty and elite mateship being needed in the team.
Not knowing him it's impossible to say that he was a bit over intense. But it didn't end well.
JL could compare the art of making triple centuries with Brook, having scored two in county cricket.
He still averages comfortably over 40 with a strike rate over 80 in Tests in the last two years and is the number two-ranked Test batter. The issue is, he’s better than that and needs to get back to his old approach.
It’s all relative I suppose. His test record is better than I could have. But the point is that it seems worse than he’s capable of. And if you are captain then giving the sense of not getting the best out of yourself is not a good vibe to be transmitting. Would Eng be better served with him averaging 40+ with SR 80 or averaging 50+ with SR 70? (I suspect the answer to that is different to the “would the Eng management prefer …” variant of that question.)
He is quite simply put a flat track bully , incapable of putting his head down and grafting for a long period of time in testing conditions . Magnificent to watch when batting is easy or difficult … except for the fact that he bats way way longer when it’s easy.
You’ve hit it on the head. The irony is he is so talented and skilled that if he could apply himself and look at difficult wickets and conditions as a proper challenge we might see him fulfil himself. The bloke has a test average of 51.48 without trying ffs! T20 one day cricket no problem but in the test arena it’s just no good. What he needs is a strong tough coach and captain telling him buckle down or you are not playing.
That’s very true he is without doubt incredibly talented and his approach is fine in one day and T20 but maybe not test cricket! only time will tell if he can change.
Ouch! Would be funny if it weren't so sad.
English cricketers are ridiculously over rated. Some people had the audacity to compare Ben Stokes to Jacques Kallis as one of 2 allrounders to score over 7000 runs and take 250 wickets. While that is true, Kallis has significantly more than 7000 runs. Harry Brook has achieved nothing in cricket, he looks a decent prospect but nothing more. On the other hand DARRYL MITCHELL! What a player! He always seems to score runs when it matters and is a proper team player and finds a way to contribute. I'm interested to see what SA do to England later this year because honestly the only great player England have is Joe Root (Even before Stokes retired).
Manners is not amused!
This England team is a disgrace to test cricket. Even the former England players are tired of this nonsense.
In Manners we trust!
A very fair analysis. Do feel that Brook can become a good captain in time, but he needs a different head coach. McCullum merely indulges his worst excesses. As an England fan, I'd love to see us get Justin Langer. He clearly feels like he has something to prove after how things ended with Australia. I can almost picture that first meeting with JL and Brook, as head coach plays back his dismissal against New Zealand, with the Kiwis laughing, and asking him with a pointed stare whether that's the sort of test player he wants to be. Any chance they'd go for such a pivot?
There's a big gap between the approaches of JL and MCullum. Somewhere in between might be the sweet spot, in my feeling. Reservations about JL lingered from the start of his Australian tenure, when he listed things like elite honesty and elite mateship being needed in the team.
Not knowing him it's impossible to say that he was a bit over intense. But it didn't end well.
JL could compare the art of making triple centuries with Brook, having scored two in county cricket.
Haha yeah might be too severe a pivot. It was just going by his appearances on TNT during the ashes, he seemed to really want the job.
Well said. The England management need to actually manage Brook before he squanders his talent.
Is it not perhaps too late for that? Would be a big turnaround from the last couple of years…
He still averages comfortably over 40 with a strike rate over 80 in Tests in the last two years and is the number two-ranked Test batter. The issue is, he’s better than that and needs to get back to his old approach.
It’s all relative I suppose. His test record is better than I could have. But the point is that it seems worse than he’s capable of. And if you are captain then giving the sense of not getting the best out of yourself is not a good vibe to be transmitting. Would Eng be better served with him averaging 40+ with SR 80 or averaging 50+ with SR 70? (I suspect the answer to that is different to the “would the Eng management prefer …” variant of that question.)
Absolutely superb. Like so many other walks of life, babies have taken over.
He is quite simply put a flat track bully , incapable of putting his head down and grafting for a long period of time in testing conditions . Magnificent to watch when batting is easy or difficult … except for the fact that he bats way way longer when it’s easy.
Well said! Though "21-ball nine" sounds better than his actual innings, a 9-ball twenty-one.
You’ve hit it on the head. The irony is he is so talented and skilled that if he could apply himself and look at difficult wickets and conditions as a proper challenge we might see him fulfil himself. The bloke has a test average of 51.48 without trying ffs! T20 one day cricket no problem but in the test arena it’s just no good. What he needs is a strong tough coach and captain telling him buckle down or you are not playing.
The question only he can answer is whether he wants to become a great player or a player of great shots.
That’s very true he is without doubt incredibly talented and his approach is fine in one day and T20 but maybe not test cricket! only time will tell if he can change.