England's opening woes: Alastair Cook's opening partners since 2012

3. Michael Carberry

Michael Carberry played 6 Tests for England as an opener

The experiment of Root as an opener did not materialise and England had a new opener to partner Cook in the 2013 Ashes in Australia. Michael Carberry, who had played a solitary Test for England against Bangladesh in the year 2009 was recalled to the Test team.

Michael Carberry in the 5 Ashes Tests in Australia in 2013 scored 281 runs at an average of 28.1 with just 1 half century to his credit. England were whitewashed 5-0 down under and the opening woes continued.

Carberry and Cook could just put on 50 plus partnerships on just 2 occasions with 85 at Perth being the highest. Carberry never played a Test for England ever since the disastrous 2013 Ashes campaign down under.