From the slogs in Perth to the wild drive in Brisbane, the reverse sweep in Adelaide and the Boxing Day bash, the England batter has been the most discussed touring player throughout this Ashes series.
Moments of quality have often been drowned out by lapses in judgement.
On day one of the fifth Test in Sydney, Brook made 78 not out – his highest score of the series so far.
Recent history warns against getting ahead of ourselves, but Brook and Joe Root have built a position of 211-3 on a flat pitch from which good teams would expect to control the game.
Signs of restraint
Albeit too late for the series, much of this innings was the Brook England fans have been waiting for.
Coming in at 57-3, he eased to 20 from his first 30 balls with little alarm. After an inside edge narrowly missed his stumps early on, he dropped the next delivery into the off side and rotated the strike.
Across his 92 balls, Brook defended or left 53% of deliveries on a good length – a notable increase compared with the first four Tests of the series. It suggested progress.
Risk never far away
But caution rarely lasts long with England’s vice-captain.
Earlier in the tour, Brook reached 3,000 Test runs in just his 57th innings, yet frustration has followed. He crossed 15 in seven of his previous eight innings without passing 51, often falling to shots he later labelled “shocking” (BBC Sport).
Australia returned to a familiar tactic. With fielders stacked on the leg side, Mitchell Starc bowled short. Brook backed away and almost top-edged a catch.
Warnings followed, but so did defiance. A miscue dropped safely, and then Cameron Green was launched into the stands.
“I didn’t feel like I was getting on top of the ball,” Brook said, explaining the decision to go aerial, adding that even a small connection often sends the ball for six (BBC Sport).
Elite numbers, unfinished method
After 59 innings, Brook has 3,130 Test runs at an average of 55.89. Those figures explain why he is tipped to succeed the current leading generation of batters.
“He will still evolve,” said a former England captain, pointing to Brook’s ability to think differently and balance genius with discipline (TNT Sports).
Another former international suggested future maturity would see him absorb pressure before counter-attacking once fields are adjusted (TNT Sports).
Brook himself accepts the need for restraint.
“I’ve got to be a bit more patient and take my ones,” he said, adding that it is something he must apply consistently (BBC Sport).
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