Star England batter Harry Brook has respectfully disagreed with India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s decision to name him Player of the Series, insisting that Joe Root was more deserving of the honour after a stellar performance across the five-Test Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The tightly contested series ended in a 2-2 draw, with both teams registering memorable wins. In line with tradition, each coach picked a Player of the Series from the opposition side. While England coach Brendon McCullum picked Shubman Gill for his leadership and 754 runs, Gambhir named Brook as England’s standout performer.
Brook, who played a breathtaking innings of 111 off 98 balls on Day 4 of the final Test at The Oval, nearly helped England pull off a record chase before India snatched a dramatic six-run victory. Despite finishing the series with 481 runs at an average of 53.44, Brook felt Root’s consistent brilliance deserved more recognition.“I didn’t score as many runs as Rooty (Joe Root), so I probably think he should be Man of the Series — and Man of the Summer again, like he has been for many years,” Brook told the BBC.Root, who also scored a hundred at The Oval, was dismissed soon after Brook in the final innings, but ended the series as England’s highest run-getter with 537 runs at an average of 67.12.Reflecting on the fiercely fought series, Brook added: “I think we’re in a great place. Obviously, it has been an awesome series. 2-2 — I didn’t think it was going to be like this, to be honest.”Brook’s humility and Root’s enduring class once again underlined the depth of England’s batting, even as India matched them blow for blow in a thrilling five-Test battle.
