Stuart Broad picks Root as best batsman over Kohli and Smith
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England pacer Stuart Broad picked compatriot Joe Root as the best batsman in the world because he “makes runs in pretty much all conditions”. The 30-year-old lauded Virat Kohli’s hunger for runs and said as a bowler the only way you thought you could get the Indian ace out was if he nicked the ball.
Kohli aggregated 1215 runs in 12 Tests this year, with 655 of those coming against England in the recently concluded home series. Root outscored both Kohli and Australian skipper Steven Smith this year in the longest format, but the Englishman also played more Tests.
Broad said Root’s adaptability makes him the best batsman in the world currently.
“I’d say Joe Root, but just because I’ve played a huge amount of cricket with him. I know that he makes runs in a lot of conditions, pretty much all conditions, and he has scored runs at really big times for us as an England team,” Broad told cricket.com.au when asked to rate the trio.
“I think when you’ve played closely with someone for that long period of time, you see a lot of their strengths. He in my mind is built up to be the best player I’ve seen because I see him every day.”
Broad has dismissed Kohli thrice in Test cricket.
“One thing about Virat, the only dismissal you feel in the game with is a nick. He’s so strong off the pads and he doesn’t really get bowled a huge amount. In the conditions we played there, his hunger for runs was just spectacular,” Broad said.
“The likes of Steve Smith and Joe Root, they have this consistency of every time they go out to bat they’re just desperate to score big runs and that makes them the top of the tree – that makes them the best players in the world.”
