England batsman Alastair Cook’s 12-year Test career has come to an end. He finished not only as England’s highest run-getter but also as the fifth-highest run-scorer in the format. Here’s the best of “Chef”.
Alastair Cook began his Test career in 2006 with a century on debut against India at Nagpur. He scored 60 and 104 not out. Cook had to fly down from Antigua as an emergency replacement for Marcus Trescothick.
Cook’s 118 in the Galle Test of 2007 was scored under enormous pressure, as England were made to follow on after they were bundled out for 81 in response to Sri Lanka’s 499.
In the Ashes series of 2010-11, Cook batted and batted and batted. Beginning with an unbeaten 235 in the first Test at Brisbane, he scored three more centuries and ended the series with 766 runs.
In 2011 at Edgbaston, Cook made his highest Test score of 294, against India. England won the Test by an innings
Beating India in India was one of Cook’s finest triumphs as captain. In 2012-13, Cook had scores of 176, 122 and 190 across four Tests, with England winning 2-1. However, Kevin Pietersen’s falling out with the England setup happened under Cook’s regime.
As captain, Cook led England in 59 Tests, winning 24.
Under fire after a 5-0 Ashes hammering, Cook lost form with the bat too. Subsequently, in the third Test against India at Southampton in 2014, Cook was dropped at slip early in his innings. It was just the luck he needed, as he went on to score 95.
Against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2015, Cook played another of his marathon knocks, scoring 263 in over 14 hours. It was a high-scoring game which very nearly produced an England victory.
Cook became the first England batsman to pass 10,000 Test runs. He got there while batting against Sri Lanka at Durham in 2016.
Cook ended his career against the same team he started against - India. Coincidentally, he scored a fifty in the first innings and a century in the second. He ended with 12,472 runs.