Top 5 knocks by Alastair Cook

At one point, about last year or 18 months back, Alastair Cook seemed to be well on course to challenge the great Sachin Tendulkar’s Test record for the most runs (and maybe the most centuries). He was still about 32 and it seemed like he could go on for another 3-4 years and if he had the consistency, he could well challenge those records.

However, in what has been a disappointing 2018 for the former England captain, Cook has managed only 298 runs in 16 innings at a dismal average of 18.63 and thus, his place in the side was questioned. Hence, one of the greatest opening batsmen of all time has decided to hang up his boots at the end of this on-going series against India.

No batsman even comes close (with Sunil Gavaskar a distant second) when it comes to the runs scored as an opener in Test cricket. He is not only England’s highest run-getter (12,254 runs) in the longest format but also their most capped player (160 Test matches).

Alastair Cook made his international debut against India at Nagpur during the 2006 Test series and struck a century on debut (a ton in the second innings). More than 12 years later, he is bidding adieu against the same team.

Cook has amassed more than 15,000 runs in international cricket and has represented England in 250+ games. Thus, as Cook prepares to play his final international game in the England shirt, we look back at some of his top knocks in international cricket.

---

#5 118 vs Sri Lanka – Galle (2007)

Galle has never been a friendly ground for visiting teams and visiting batsmen, in particular. Sri Lanka, more often than not boss the game and Galle can be termed as a fortress.

This 118 from Cook at Galle was a top quality innings and it was one of his early knocks which helped England save the game. Cook was about 18 months old in international cricket but he had already scored 6 Test hundreds.

England had lost the first game of this 3-match Test series before they drew the next one. Things looked bleak even in the third Test as they were bundled out for a mere 81 after Sri Lanka posted 499 batting first. England were tipped to meekly surrender and lose the series 0-2. However, a determined Alastair Cook had other ideas.

The then 23-year-old left-hander batted for more than 6 hours and faced 285 deliveries as he helped England pull off an unlikely draw. In his 118-run knock, he blunted out an attack that comprised of a rampaging Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga and the spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan. This was Cook’s second Test hundred in Asia after his debut ton at Nagpur.

#4 137 vs Pakistan – Abu Dhabi (2012)

Cook might not be remembered for his limited-overs game. But he still had decent numbers as he scored over 3000 runs and also struck 5 centuries.

This 137 against Pakistan in 2012 in Abu Dhabi was perhaps his best ODI knock. It was the first of the five ODIs and England were coming on the back of a 0-3 Test series whitewash. They needed something special to lift them and skipper Alastair Cook led from the front and scored an excellent 137.

In a game, when only two batsmen from either side crossed the 30-run mark, Cook displayed supreme concentration and shut his critics with a superb ton. And this came against a top quality Pakistan attack (which had the likes of Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi and Wahab Riaz). He was out in the middle for more than 46 overs as he faced 142 deliveries and scored more than 50% of England’s runs.

His ton set-up the win for the visitors and it set the tone for the rest of the ODI series.

#3 244* vs Australia – Melbourne (2017)

This was Alastair Cook’s last Test hundred and he will cherish every bit of it. Cook had scored a 243 against West Indies at Edgbaston in August but since that knock, his scores read 11, 23, 10, 17, 2, 7, 37, 16, 7 and 14. Questions were flowing in left, right and centre ahead of the 4th Ashes Test at the MCG.

England had already lost the Ashes but they still needed to avoid the embarrassing whitewash and stop Australia from repeating the success of 2013-14 Ashes.

The England bowlers did a good job of restricting Australia to 327 on a flat MCG pitch. It was then all Alastair Cook as he batted and batted and batted to bore Australia out. He spent more than 10 and a half hours at the crease and carried his bat. His unbeaten 244 gave England a big lead. However, a Steve Smith classic saved the game for the Aussies.

However, for his fabulous knock, Cook was awarded the Player of the Match.

#2 190 vs India – Kolkata (2012)

The tour to India in 2012 was one of the highlights of Cook’s career. Andrew Strauss had recently retired and they had crumbled and humbled in UAE against Pakistan earlier that year. But Cook turned it around in India and led from the front.

After scoring 176 which went in vain in the first Test, Cook scored a superb 122 at Mumbai on a rank turner. He struck a third consecutive ton at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The 4-match Test series was tied 1-1 and batting first, India made 316.

Cook led England’s response and made a fabulous 190. He continued to torment India as the hosts just couldn’t get past the opener. Cook displayed some excellent ability and technique against the spinners as he blunted Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha beautifully. He batted for more than 8 hours and led England to a famous Test series win in India.

#1 235* vs Australia – Brisbane (2010)

Australia is a tough place to tour and if you are bogged down early it’s difficult to come back. But Alastair Cook in 2010 showed his class as he tormented and smashed the Aussies throughout the 2010-11 Ashes series Down Under.

England were behind early in the first Test. After scoring just 260 in the first innings, Australia made 481 and took a huge 221-run lead. And at the end of Day Three when England batted again, they were 19/0 but a comeback seemed very far. They needed to bat for at least a day and a half to save the game.

And they did exactly that. Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott – all scored hundreds as England managed to save the game. But it was Cook who stood out with his sheer concentration, discipline and determination. He was England’s highest scorer in the first innings as well. But in the second innings, the Essex opener batted and batted and just batted to frustrate Australia.

He scored 235 as England declared at 517/1 in their second innings. This knock from Cook set the tone for the series as he scored a couple more tons in the series and helped England win the Ashes.