Following India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign – in which the Men in Blue defeated a game South Africa in the final – attention has turned back to Test Cricket as summer in the Northern Hemisphere continues. England has been looking to blend a new-look team into a powerhouse once more and they have gotten off to a great start at the task at hand, twice defeating the West Indies at Lords and Trent Bridge.
The resounding victories have catapulted two of the country’s star performers into the ICC’s top three test batsmen on the planet. But who joins them on the list? Let’s find out.
Kane Williamson
New Zealand captain and talisman Kane Williamson sits atop the ICC Test batting rankings, a testament to his undeniable skill and consistency in recent years. Known for his calm demeanour and impeccable technique, the 33-year-old has been the cornerstone of the Kiwis’ batting lineup for over a decade, truly coming into his own in 2019. That summer, he led his country to both the Cricket World Cup final and the inaugural World Test Championship finale, losing the first to hosts England but securing redemption with victory against India in the latter.
Williamson’s ability to adapt to different conditions and bowlers has made him a formidable challenge for opposing teams. His recent performances have been breathtaking, hitting a stunning 143 to help his side to victory against South Africa in Auckland. The form was reminiscent of the showcases he was putting on a year ago, where he managed to knock up four straight centuries against England, South Africa (twice), and Bangladesh.
The Tauranga-born star’s average hovers around 54, underscoring his reliability especially when his country needs him the most. Whether playing on the green pitches of England or the spin-friendly tracks of the subcontinent, Williamson’s versatile batting style ensures he remains a threat. Later this year, he will welcome an in-form England to The Land of the Long White Cloud and the contest promises to be a mouthwatering affair.
Joe Root
Former England captain Joe Root has evolved into one of England’s greatest-ever batsmen, and his recent century in the second test victory against the West Indies at Trent Bridge moved him ahead of Shivnarine Chanderpaul into eighth place on the all-time run scorers list. He is now just 13 runs behind Windies all-time great Brian Lara, and a further ascent up the rankings is certainly possible because Root is still just 33 years of age.
Over the last decade, the Yorkshire batsman has been nothing short of spectacular and, alongside Ben Stokes, he is undoubtedly the jewel in the England crown He returned to form last summer with several impressive knocks against Australia in the Ashes series, a series that ultimately finished as a 2-2 draw resulting in the Urn remaining in the hands of the Australians for a seventh straight year. He amassed 412 runs last summer, including two centuries and a crucial unbeaten 142 at Lord’s.
This summer, he has picked up where he left off. He hit back-to-back centuries against India earlier this year and he just scored a half-century and a century in the recent victories against the West Indies. Harder tests are on the horizon, including next year’s Ashes Series, a contest that cricket betting odds have made England +250 outsiders in. Root will be aiming to secure the urn for the first time in five series, as well as helping his side to victory in the land down under for the first time in over a decade.
Harry Brook
Joe Root’s partner in crime in England’s middle order in recent series has been fellow Yorlkshireman Harry Brook. The 25-year-old has rapidly ascended his way to third place in the ICC rankings, and his rise is a story of raw talent meeting pure aggression. The young Englishman has turned heads with his aggressive yet calculated approach to batting in Test cricket, a style more suited to the shorter formats of the game –
Brook’s recent performances have been exceptional. In the series against New Zealand last year, he scored a remarkable 186 in the second Test in addition to the 143 he had already amassed in the first innings. His fearless attitude and ability to dominate bowlers from the outset distinguish him from the rest of England’s batting order, and he has become his side’s resident difference-maker. He has already hit a century this summer, smashing a blistering 109 in the second test against the West Indies, and he will be aiming to continue in a similar vein for the tests against Sri Lanka and New Zealand later this year.
Brook’s technique against both pace and spin has impressed cricket pundits, and his potential suggests a bright future ahead. With an average above 50, Brook is quickly becoming a mainstay in the English Test team.
