England’s Harry Brook and India’s Shubman Gill are touted as future talents. They’ve already displayed immense potential to become superstars, but being young, they still have time to evolve and refine their skills.
These two youngsters are often compared when discussing the next global cricket superstar. Some favor Shubman Gill, a classical player known for elegant strokes and equal competence against pace and spin. However, he can struggle on difficult wickets.
Harry Brook, on the other hand, is a different beast altogether. He’s an expressive player, capable of single-handedly winning matches when on fire. This was recently evident in the third T20I against the West Indies, where he chased down 21 off the last 6 balls in just 5 deliveries, having faced only one ball before the final over.
Both are phenomenal batters.
Consistency and Reliability
Shubman Gill is quite consistent and reliable, especially in home conditions. He has a sound technique and, most importantly, he can play long innings. On the other hand, Harry Brook is not as consistent, but what a player he can be on his day!
He can change the course of the game within a few overs. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been consistent, though. We have already seen him play impressive innings with consistent form.
Approach and Method
While their approaches differ, certain similarities exist. Facing a strong bowling attack, both can be anxious starters. However, Gill will prioritize rotating the strike early on, gradually accelerating as the innings progresses.
Conversely, Brook’s natural game is to attack from the outset, unafraid to play expansive shots. Though this bold approach can occasionally lead to him being dismissed early, it also ensures rapid run accumulation while he remains at the crease.
Adaptability
Both Harry Brook and Shubman Gill have shown talent in adapting to different conditions. However, Gill has arguably been more consistent with his adaptability so far. While it’s still early in their careers to make definitive comparisons, we can see some interesting trends.
In ODIs, Gill averages a strong 58 at home compared to Brook’s 12. However, the tables turn in Tests, where Brook’s away average of 85 far surpasses Gill’s 38. This demonstrates the complexity of assessing adaptability, as both players excel in different formats and conditions.
Power Hitting
While there’s not a significant difference in raw power between these two batters, based on recent form, Brook seems more comfortable with a power-hitting approach. This aligns with England’s aggressive batting style, and he embodies that mentality well.
For Shubman Gill, however, power hitting isn’t the main ingredient in his success. His exceptional strokeplay and timing allow him to score big without brute force, as evidenced by his ODI double century.
