Follow UsFormer England captain Michael Atherton has backed Harry Brook to make his debut ahead of Jonny Bairstow at No. 5 for the first Test against New Zealand, starting June 2 at Lord's. Brook, who has scored 840 runs for Yorkshire in the County Championship, received his maiden England call-up along with Durham pacer Matthew Potts.
Atherton believes this is the right time for England, who have won just one Test in the last 12 months, for the 23-year-old to be included and groomed.
"I'd have to pick him (Brook) ahead of Bairstow at No.5, just because of the form he is in. His first-class form has been exceptional," Atherton told Sky Sports.
"When you pick a young player is so important and he will never be in better form than this, never be more confident than this. He may go off the boil at some stage and then if you put him in the team it might be slightly unfortunate."
Atherton however expects the selectors to stick with Bairstow. Bairstow scored an excellent ton in Sydney and backed that up with yet another century against West Indies. "Bairstow was the success story of the winter," Atherton noted.
"He has been away in the IPL but in the Test stuff before that, he had two hundreds, one in the West Indies and another at the end of the Ashes.
"It's not absolutely straightforward and the slight conundrum has been created by the fact Stokes has said Root will go back to No.4 and they want Pope to have a dash at No.3.
"I don't think England will slip Brook in that middle order but the temptation must be there - it must be so tempting to play a young man who is in that kind of form."
After the first Test at Lord's the action shifts to Trent Bridge for the second game before concluding the series in Headingley.
England are currently at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) table, having won just 12.5% of their matches. The Blackcaps, on the other hand, are three places above them, with a win percentage of 38.89.