Brook underlines status as world's best all-format batter in remarkable defeat

Just under a year ago, Harry Brook was left wondering if he would be sacked as England white-ball captain and what damage he had done to his international career.

What a turnaround in 12 months. From whacked in Wellington to the run-fest in Rawalpindi, Brook is undeniably England's most important cricketer and probably the best multi-format batter in the world.

Brook's 202 in England's defeat against Sri Lanka was an astonishing display of stroke-making. There can be no higher praise than to compare Brook's dismantling of the Sri Lankan attack to the sort of innings once played by South African genius AB de Villiers.

It was the first double hundred scored by an Englishman in an ODI, passing England's previous best individual score of 182 by Ben Stokes against New Zealand in 2023. In reaching 200 in 114 balls, Brook registered the fastest double ton by anyone in an ODI, bettering the 117 deliveries of India's Shubman Gill against West Indies only last month.

Brook has joined one of international cricket's most exclusive clubs. In completing the set of a hundred in a T20, double hundred in an ODI and triple century in a Test, Brook has matched the previously unique treble of West Indies' legend Chris Gayle.

In the moment, the collection of another landmark might not mean a great deal to Brook. Despite his efforts, his team were beaten as the spirited Sri Lankans pulled off the second-highest run-chase in history in one of the most astonishing ODIs ever played.

For a man who has previously spoken about prioritising match-winning contributions over individual achievements, Brook the captain was left dejected that his innings ultimately counted for nothing. He is the first man to make a double ton in an ODI and end up on the losing side.

Still, it further underlined his status as the premier run-getter across all kinds of international cricket. Perhaps only Australia's Travis Head can challenge Brook for the crown.

Ranked by the International Cricket Council as the best Test batter in the world, Brook averages 53.08 in the longer format of the game. No England player with a minimum of 20 innings since 1968 has a better average than Brook – he stands above Joe Root, Alastair Cook, Geoffrey Boycott, Graham Gooch and everyone else to have batted for England in the past seven decades.

In T20 internationals, Brook averages 36.21 at a strike-rate of 164.92. No batter to have played at least 20 innings for a major nation averages more at a better strike-rate.

Brook is learning to play List A cricket in one-day internationals. Sri Lanka was his 61st List A match, 45 of which have been ODIs. After a slow start to his international 50-over career, Brook averages just under 50 in his past 29 matches and almost 57 in 2026.

The responsibility of captaincy suits him. In ODIs, Brook averages 31 runs more as captain compared to when not. In T20s, his average jumps 19 runs when wearing the metaphorical armband.

Brook's workload is an issue, the Yorkshireman having played in every England fixture since being rested for a T20 series in Ireland last September and, fitness permitting, he will be the only man to play in every game this winter – that's five tours to four countries across three continents. He left home last week and will not again see his own bed until mid-January.

He says his time to rest is during the Indian Premier League, the riches of which he has turned down in order to focus his energy on England. Brook probably does not get enough credit for making such a decision.

There is the question of how good Brook could become. Ben Stokes revealed that, at the end of the Ashes, he took Brook to one side to say he should be averaging 60 or more in Test cricket.

Speaking to the BBC in August, Brook admitted to not being the "finished article".

"I have the ability to hit it everywhere, I just have to figure it out quicker in games," he said.

In terms of improvement, Brook has already shown a willingness to do the hard yards to become a better cricketer.

As a youngster, he struggled with his fitness, but has worked hard to become one of the best athletes in the England team. He has spoken at length about being better able to run twos – he is one of the best runners between the wickets in the world. Brook has also turned himself into one of England's most reliable catchers.

As for the batting, well-qualified judges don't hold back in their praise. Last month, Stokes said Brook may have more talent than Kevin Pietersen. In 2024, James Anderson said Brook could surpass Root as England's highest Test run-scorer. Just last week, Chris Woakes labelled Brook as "next level".