Harry Brook's ton draws Rishabh Pant comparison: Impactful and their bats go flying

India Today

a day ago

Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja praised England's Harry Brook for his fearless knock on Day 4 of the final Test against India at the Oval on Sunday, August 3. He compared the 26-year-old's approach to that of India's very own Rishabh Pant. Brook's 98-ball 111 in the second innings helped the hosts reach the brink of a win, thereby taking a 3-1 series victory.advertisementSpeaking on Sony Sports after the day's play, Jadeja highlighted the similar impact both Brook and Pant have had in pressure situations, pointing out how such players may not deliver every time but always leave their mark when they do.'Such players might not score runs every time, but when they score runs, they leave a massive impact. He reminded me of Rishabh Pant today. There was one thing common between him and Rishabh Pant. Both are impactful, and their bats go flying. Their styles are similar, so their mistakes and impact will also look similar,' Jadeja said.
Brook came to the crease when England were under pressure and immediately took the attack to the Indian bowlers. His stroke-filled innings turned the tide of the match in England's favour, and Jadeja appreciated his aggressive mindset from the first ball.'At the start, he dominated and put the pressure that was on them back on the bowlers. Then, as soon as the atmosphere cooled slightly and they gained control, he kept playing in his own style, and his partnership with Joe Root left England on the threshold,' he said.Brook and Root's batting partnership stand took England to 339/6 at stumps, needing just 35 more runs to clinch the match and the series. It wasn't just the runs that impressed Jadeja; it was also the way Brook played them.'Brook remains the same. He doesn't change his game. Washington Sundar left him standing halfway down the pitch in the last match. This is the thing with these players. They might not be as consistent as Joe Root every day, but a team needs them too. In difficult circumstances, only mavericks come in handy,' Jadeja said.He also pointed out how Brook's unique scoring pattern made him stand out amongst modern batters. According to Jadeja, the Yorkshire batter has a distinct wagon wheel and often favours the leg side, while also stepping out against seamers and playing through the off side.'The pressure they faced in the last half an hour, if they had to play for half an hour like that when 250 runs were required, the bowlers would always have hope. He broke the bowlers' hopes in that half an hour, and then we kept waiting for the next two hours, as to what would happen now,' he said.Harry Brook walks back after a stunning ton #SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings pic.twitter.com/dqzNytjBa8— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 3, 2025Ironically, Brook's innings came to an end in a fashion that mirrored Pant while attempting a big shot, he lost grip of his bat and was caught by Mohammed Siraj at deep midwicket off Akash Deep's bowling. The dismissal brought back clear flashes of Pant's trademark risk-taking style.After Brook's dismissal, England lost two more wickets in Jacob Bethell and Joe Root, giving India a slight opening ahead of Day 5. But Brook's sparkling hundred may have already done enough to swing the match in England's favour.- EndsMust Watch