Harry Brook says Jonny Bairstow should return “straight” to the England side when he has recovered from a broken leg and a dislocated ankle.
Bairstow’s six hundred are the most in Test cricket this year, despite missing England’s last four matches.
Brook has made it his own three centuries since taking the place of his Yorkshire team-mate.
“Jonny is one of the best players, if not the best, in the world,” Brook, 23, said.
Bairstow was enjoying a stellar summer when he suffered an accidental fall while playing golf ahead of the third Test against South Africa in September.
The 33-year-old’s injury gave Brook the chance to make his Test debut and claim a place in the England squad that won the Twenty20 World Cup.
Brook followed that with three hundred in as many games on the Pakistan tour, the last of which was an 111 that gave England a precious 29-point lead on matchday two of the final Test in Karachi.
He is the first English batter to score three hundred in his first four Tests, the first to score three centuries in a three Test away series and his 468 runs are a record for an English batter in an away series. outside against Pakistan.
“I told one of my friends I wanted to get two hundred while I was here, so ticking off three is really good,” Brook told Test Match Special.
Bairstow is unlikely to be fit for England’s two Tests against New Zealand in February but is more likely to return on March’s limited Bangladesh tour or in the Indian Premier League.
England’s first home Test of the summer is against Ireland on June 1, before the Ashes’ bid to win back Australia begins on June 16.
In order to get the Yorkshire pair on the same side, England could ask Bairstow to keep the wicket, although current glove maker Ben Foakes has had a good year at bat and is described as ‘the best keeper in the game. world” by Captain Ben Stokes.
Another option would be to move one of them up the order, with Brook saying he would “absolutely” drop from number five if asked.
“Most breeders say they like headaches, so hopefully I caused a really big headache,” Brook added.
“For me, Jonny comes straight back into the team. I don’t select the team, but he’s such a great player for this team and has been for so many years.”
On Sunday Brook came to the crease with England 58-3 after Ben Duckett and Joe Root fell to successive deliveries from Nauman Ali.
“I was in the bathroom when Rooty came out, so I had to put my thigh guards on quickly,” he said. “It was a bit of a hectic moment.”
Having found himself 98-4, Brook was then involved in Stokes’ run-out which left the tourists 145-5.
With the ball played deep and Stokes looking for a third run, Brook drove off, only to turn around and leave the two men at the same end. Brook made sure he put his bat down first, leaving the skipper as the batter was fired.
“I felt it was my fault,” Brook said. “I said sorry to Ben and he told me to carry on – I felt like I should have sacrificed myself.
“I said sorry about 58 times in the dressing room. I hope he forgave me.”
The runout came after Stokes was forced to serve dinner to Brook the day before the game as a forfeit for losing a six-hitter competition in practice.
“I’m going to have to serve him his dinner tonight,” Brook said.
After Stokes was sacked, Brook shared a 117 partnership with Foakes which helped England to 354 – a 50 run lead in the first innings.
Pakistan then survived nine overs before the close to reach 21-0.
England already hold an unassailable 2-0 series lead and are looking to become the first team to leave Pakistan with a clean 3-0 sweep.
“We probably would have taken that lead at the start of the day,” Brook added. “I can only see this pitch getting worse. It’s starting to crack a bit and pieces are coming out.
“Hopefully we get some awards tomorrow morning. We have to stick with it. If we persist all day, I think we’ll be on the right side of where we want to be tomorrow night.”
