Friday 29 July 2016 22:57, UK
England's Stuart Broad says team-mate Joe Root is "the most complete batsman" he has ever played with.
Root struck a career-best 254 against Pakistan at Old Trafford last week, his 10th Test century at the age of 25, and followed up with an unbeaten 71 in the second innings as England squared the series 1-1.
Speaking ahead of the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston, paceman Broad said: "I think Joe's probably the all-round, complete player.
"I think in 10 years there's no doubt we'll be sat with a glass of red saying, 'wow, I'm lucky to have played with that Root fella - look at his record in all formats'.
"If I had to pick two batsmen to bat for my life, I'd pick Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott, but I think Joe is probably the most complete batsman I've ever played with.
"He has fewer weaknesses - he's a fantastic player of spin, a good player of the short ball, a good player of quick bowling. He is a brilliant team man in the way he plays and he's got every tempo and every shot in the book.
"I mean, the bloke averages 56 (in Tests) and I'm sure 300-odd in the last match helped."
Broad knows all about the vagaries of form, having waxed and waned throughout his international career, and was careful not to curse his team-mate ahead of the third Test, which starts on Wednesday.
And while it is barely a couple of weeks since Root was twice left berating himself for two ill-judged dismissals at Lord's, Broad does not anticipate a repeat.
"It's always dangerous to blow too much smoke, but he's just scored 300-plus in a Test and he'll be on the crest of a wave," he added.
"He's a very rounded guy and I know he'll be desperately hungry to get another big score next week.
"He's had a relatively quiet summer, and he was getting a little bit frustrated. You could tell when he was getting out, he was walking off and whacking his pads and he got out in a few quite odd ways for Joe.
"For him to rein in his shots slightly and just say, 'I'm going to bat big', was a great example of how to put the team first.
"He knew that first-innings runs were going to be vital at Old Trafford and he did it in a no-risk way. I think that was one of the best knocks I've seen for England."
