/betbarter/media/agency_attachments/3YXcMKaocLoKtpo5Mw2o.png)
/betbarter/media/media_files/2025/09/02/bb-file_bb_domain_blockage_1920x500px_cta-2025-09-02-20-49-39.webp)
/betbarter/media/media_files/2025/08/07/harry-brook-hails-joe-root-as-deserving-player-of-the-series-2025-08-07-12-58-47.webp)
As the five-match Test series between England and India came to an end at the Kennington Oval on Monday, each head coach presented one Player of the Series award. India head coach Gautam Gambhir selected Harry Brook, while Brendon McCullum selected Shubman Gill, although he wanted to switch it to Mohammed Siraj following the pacer's explosive performance on Day 5. Brook disagrees with Gambhir's selection, claiming Joe Root was more deserving of the prize.
After the Oval Decider and the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series ended, Harry Brook told the BBC that he thought Joe Root should have won Player of the Series instead of him because of how many runs the England star batsman scored for the home team during the Test series against England.
On the fourth day of the last Test, Brook produced a fiery innings of 111 off 98 balls, bringing England on the verge of a record chase when the visitors fell apart and lost seven wickets for 66 runs, giving up the match.
“I didn’t score as many runs as Rooty (Joe Root), so I probably think he should be Man of the Series—and Man of the Summer again, like he has been for many years,” Brook told the BBC. In the five-match series, Root scored 537 runs at an average of 67.12 across nine innings, while Brook scored 481 runs at an average of 53.44. Root has scored three hundreds and a fifty, while Brook has accumulated two centuries and two half-centuries each.
On the last morning, Brook's expulsion for trying to knock Akash Deep over extra cover gave India a vital opening. He continued to be proud of his contributions throughout the series in spite of the defeat. After guiding England in a limited-overs series against South Africa and Ireland, Brook now turns his attention to the white-ball season. He starts with captaining the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.
Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at BetBarter and download the BetBarter app to start betting today!