Former England captain Alastair Cook says New Zealand’s Kane Williamson is the player closest to Joe Root for the moment in Test cricket. Cook, speaking in a recent ICC round-table interview, hailed both Root and Williamson for their outstanding forms as being in the best shape among the so-called “Fab Four” of modern-day batsmen.
Root, sensational in the last few years, is considered by many as amongst the best Test batsmen in the world. With an aggregate tally of 12,716 runs, he needs another 3,206 runs to pip Sachin Tendulkar as the batsman with the most runs in Tests. The consistency he has shown irrespective of the opposition makes him one of the trump cards for England. And a serious contender to rewrite the history books of cricket.
For Cook, though Virat Kohli and Steven Smith also feature in the ‘Big Four,’ it is Root and Williamson who are ahead at this moment. “I think at this precise moment in time. I find it hard to see anyone playing as well as Joe Root,” Cook said. “Over the last year or so of the so-called ‘Big Four’. I think Williamson and him are probably in the best form at the moment.”
Cook talked about the difference in their playing style among these three top scorers. And said, that although they are different in style. Their hunger for runs is something that binds them together. And this is what has made them great batsmen in Test cricket.
Root is currently in the midst of a three-match Test series with Pakistan, being the second-highest run-scorer in 314 runs till now from the first two Tests. An extremely impressive average of 104.67. And he will be looking to add more runs in the Rawalpindi series decider starting Thursday.
Meanwhile, New Zealand included Williamson in their squad for the three-match Test series against India. Despite his absence in the first Test due to a groin injury. He has been ruled out of the second Test, but the cricket world eagerly awaits his comeback.
Both have established themselves as stars of Test match cricket. And their skill and determination continue to lead from the front.
ANI
