Leeds [UK], June 22 : After England batter Harry Brook's aggressive batting performance on Day 3 of the Leeds Test at Headingley against India on Sunday, former cricketer Nick Knight weighed in on the right-hand batter's approach during the session.
Brook missed a well-deserved century by just one run as he was sent back to the pavilion by right-arm seamer Prasidh Krishna at the score of 99 runs (112 balls), which was laced with 11 boundaries and two maximums in his innings.
Speaking on 'Match Centre Live' on Day 3 of the first Test, Jiostar expert Nick Knight said, "I think we are seeing an adaptation of the very best of Harry Brook. When we've watched him and admired his skills over the years, we've often noticed the high strike-rate at which he scores in Test cricket, the audacious shots, and his aggressive approach. But, this felt like a more refined version of Harry Brook, and I like what I see. I think he's playing the match situation really well. I also liked how, in the first over or two, he danced down the pitch to Jasprit Bumrah and said, 'Look, you may be the number one bowler in the world, but I'm pretty good too -- I'm the number two batter in the world'."
"That signalled a good contest, that he wasn't just going to sit back. There was much to admire in that knock, but what stood out most to me was how well he read the game situation and tried to build partnerships. He's smart and astute. We talk a lot about 'Bazball' -- but there wasn't a huge amount of that in this session. And that's the point I want to make: the approach is constantly refining itself, and I think English batters played the situation well," he added.
At the end of the first session, England was 327/5, with Brook (57*) and Smith (29*) unbeaten. They trail by 144 runs. England started the first session of the day on 209/3, with Ollie Pope (100*) and Harry Brook (0*) unbeaten.
Pope and Brook started off on an attacking note, with the latter getting a four and a six against Prasidh Krishna in the first over and Pope smacking a length delivery from Jasprit Bumrah on the next over's very first ball.
However, a delivery wide outside off by Krishna was slashed at hard by Pope, getting an edge and going straight into the hands of Rishabh Pant, who completed his 150th catch as a wicketkeeper. Pope was gone for 106 in 137 balls, with 14 fours. England was 225/4 .
Brook continued stamping his authority on pacers, while skipper Ben Stokes settled from the other end. England reached the 250-run mark in 59 overs. It was simply raining boundaries, and the duo formed a 50-run stand in 78 balls.
However, Mohammed Siraj struck, removing Stokes for 20 in 52 balls (three fours), finding a thick edge of the bat. England was 276/5.
Early in his innings, after two solid boundaries, Jamie Smith survived a leg-before-wicket review, with Shardul Thakur missing out on a golden chance to open his wicket tally as the ball missed the leg stump. England touched the 300-run mark in 71 overs.
Pant dropped a catch of Brook and he capitalised on it, reaching his 12th Test fifty in 65 balls, with seven fours and a six. Jamie and Brook also completed a 50-run stand.