Harry Brook has been outstanding for England in the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, making scores of 153 and 87 in what is just his second and third Test innings.
The 23-year-old is viewed as a potentially generational talent by England, who could play a key role in all three formats for many years to come. And Brook has already earned plenty of plaudits for his exploits in Rawalpindi, with former England batter Mark Butcher saying there is "a touch of genius about him" and England's assistant coach Paul Collingwood dubbing him "the powerful Joe Root ".
"I remember during the T20 series [against Pakistan], I was hesitant in using the word, but I did in the end - there is a touch of genius about him," Butcher said on Sky Sports. "There were some strokes in that series where he ran down, hitting against the spin, over extra cover - like 20 metres over the boundary for six - and you just think they are shots of rare, rare quality and power.
"What a performance he's put on; the World T20 didn't go as he would have wished, but you've certainly noticed here he can do absolutely anything in this game in whatever format. It looks as if the Test format isn't one which squashes any of that natural ability and talent.
"These young guys don't need to be told to come out and express themselves in that way because they've grown up doing. You ally that with the environment they're in at the moment and my goodness."
Collingwood added that Brook's presence in the England team was "exciting", saying: "It's an amazing start to his career, I think the way that he played in the T20's over here gave him a lot of confidence playing on these kinds of pitches.
"He seems to be a player that knows his game very, very well. He's obviously learnt off the best in Joe Root up in Yorkshire and, this isn't derogatory towards Joe in any way, but he's almost like the powerful Joe Root.
"The way he hits the ball and the power he's got with conventional shots is very impressive. To have a player like that who can put opposition bowlers under that kind of pressure... it's exciting for us as an England cricket team."
Ex-England opener and coach David Lloyd, meanwhile, compared Brook to Kevin Pietersen, who is also a huge fan of the Yorkshireman. "I've seen Harry Brook at close quarters at Yorkshire and he is clearly the real deal," Lloyd said in a column for the Daily Mail.
"What a performance in his second Test. Joe Root said it's like standing at the other end to Kevin Pietersen and it doesn't get any better than that! Brook is tall like Pietersen and is a commanding figure. And there is a bit of KP about his shot-making too."
