England vs India 2018: Is Alastair being Over'Cooked'?

Every bleak performance seems to bring down the curtains when players are in the dusk of their careers. Alastair Cook's performance in Edgbaston Test will bring out the similar speculation from the cricket experts across the globe.

Alastair Cook, so far, is the best English batsman ever to play the game; at least statistically if not heroically. He is the highest runs scorer from England with more than 12,000 runs in Test Cricket. He is the youngest to go past 10,000 runs, surpassing the record previously held by the greatest ever- Sachin Tendulkar. Cook also holds the record for appearances in most consecutive Test matches. He went past Alan Border's figures of 153 Test matches earlier this year against Pakistan at Headingley.

Alastair Cook failed to open his account in the second inning and was dismissed cheaply in the first inning of the ongoing Edgbaston Test against India.

Ashwin has a point to prove, and he bowled brilliantly in the first innings for that matter. Alastair Cook was clean bowled identically by R Ashwin on both the occasions. Ashwin released the ball slowly and nicely with seam pointing towards the first slip. The ball drifted and dipped slightly into the stump line and, then pitched and turned to clip the top of the off-stump. Alastair Cook was stretched forward to defend the ball and yet missed to connect it.

It was a picturesque of a traditional off-spin bowling by a modern-day great. Both the deliveries can be dream deliveries of any off-spin bowler. It delighted Graeme Swann and Michael Vaughan but left Cook clueless.

Cook, on the other hand, hasn't been impressive of late. He doesn't have many runs under his belt and had delivered frail performances in home series against Pakistan. In 6 matches, that he has played in the year 2018, he barely managed to score 202 runs at an average of 18.36. His innings of 70 against Pakistan at Lord's is the highest of all in the present year.

Ashwin is a world-class bowler and both deliveries have left the world in awe. Yet, it can't be ignored that Cook failed to defend it. The balls spun right in front of his eyes, and he had no answer to them. Some will reason bad form for this flop show.

One cannot overlook the dropped catch for that matter. He dropped Hardik Pandya's simple catch at the first slip. Age can be a reason for the lagging reflexes. Either way, it will invite criticism and will compel selectors to look beyond Cook.

Alastair Cook is a seasoned campaigner and is the only English player from 2007 series squad. But his slumped form in the Test cricket (the only format he plays) has resurfaced the talks of his retirement. After his dismal show against New Zealand in New Zealand, he had himself admitted of contemplating about his retirement. Even some former cricketers have started to feel that the Cook's selection into the team is an extension of rope.

He has been a champion player for long and has resurrected many times in the past. He had resurrected in 2014 against India when chips were down. All eyes are on him to see if he can rise again. His presence could be vital if England has to stop the mighty Indian team. It is a long series, and only the time will tell whether Alastair Cook still has some more cricket left or it is the end of the road for him.