Alastair Cook will retire as part of an elite group of players to have scored a century in both his first and last Test.
In between these two centuries, Cook has experienced some of the most dramatic highs and lows in cricket.
He came into a formidable side when debuting for his country in 2006, with England having only recently emerged victorious from the iconic 2005 Ashes series.
Cook also came in at the end of one of his country’s most successful opening partnerships, as Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss had averaged over 50 as a pair.
While not quite as formidable, Cook and Strauss created a fine partnership. However, it is telling of the tumult Cook was present for that he was paired with12 opening batsmen after Strauss’ 2012 retirement.
Cook was seen as the calm amid the storm, yet his own form fluctuated greatly.
For much of his career, Cook appeared functional: a clever batter, rather than a particularly talented one. Out of the eight players to have reached 150 Tests, Cooks average of 45.35 is the lowest, and the only one under 50.
AAP Image/Dave Hunt
For long periods of time he has seemed to only score from the leg-glance and the cut. At the crease, he battled rather than dominated.
Looking at Cook this way suggests he is not one of the greats, but simply a good player who has shown impressive longevity.
But scattered throughout his career are times when he appeared truly unbeatable, as though him getting out would be some strange quirk in the cosmic cycle, rather than an error on his own part.
In recent years these times have been lone innings, spread out across a multitude of frustrating starts. His double centuries in Melbourne and Abu Dhabi were simply reminders of the truly terrifying prospect Cook had at times been.
Yet there are a couple of series where he seemed to transcend his limited technique, becoming a batter that his more expansive counterparts – such as Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell – could only hope to be.
The first instance was Cook’s incredible 2010-11 Ashes series, where he made 766 runs at an average of 127.67.
The Aussie side England defeated 3-1 was not particularly strong, but the pace trio Australia started with in Brisbane – Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson – was the same one that guided Australia to an Ashes whitewash three years later.
It was against this attack that Cook, along with Jonathan Trott, amassed 329 runs to set the record for the highest partnership the Gabba has ever seen.
Alastair Cook (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Action Plus via Getty Images)
Cook ended the game unbeaten on 235, but it looked as though he could have batted for weeks.
However, his greatest achievement was likely his 2012 series win in India, where England had not won for 27 years.
Cook had a brilliant series, scoring 562 runs at 80.29, to guide his team to a 2-1 win. He was named Player of the Series for his performances with the bat, but he also did an impressive job as captain, using his two spinners, Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar, to superb effect.
Cook also combined brilliantly with Pietersen throughout the series, their 206-run partnership on a turning Mumbai pitch a particular highlight.
However, a little over a year later, Cook captained his team to a 5-0 Ashes defeat Down Under.
Trott, who three years earlier Cook had broken the partnership record with at Brisbane, left after the first Test due to problems with anxiety. Swann, who had bowled so well under Cook in India, now looked a shadow of his former self, and retired in Perth.
Pietersen, who had seemed the perfect foil for Cook in India, fell out with his skipper, and by the end of the series had played his last game for England.
Cook’s moments of brilliance have therefore been countered by some of English cricket’s worst moments. But what is telling is that Cook always emerged from these moments and fought his way back.
The tumultuous nature of Alastair Cook’s time as an English player is subsequently what earns him his place among the greats.
He may not have been the most talented, but he may well have been the most resilient.
JimmyB
Guest
You seem to think that playing more Test cricket is a huge advantage, I would argue that the opposite is true. Batsmen who are out of form have nowhere and no time to put it right apart from in Test matches and bowlers must be absolutely knackered by the end of these series as the games come so thick and fast (not to mention the speee in which innings are over these days.)
Rachael Dilks
Guest
I think Cook’s legacy will be the way he’ has conducted himself through the highs & lows of his career. Believe me, he’s had some vile abuse and ongoing vendettas from certain people. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house (the Oval) when he reached his 100 - not many players leave on their terms and certainly not on a high.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
You could argue that but not successfully. If opening in England was as difficult as you claim, no English openers would have high test averages, yet there are plenty. So many, in fact, that if batting averages were the sole factor for picking England's best test sides, Cook, would fight with Boycott to sneak into their Third XI. I can understand your point about length of career, but many players have had careers just as long but not played the number of tests. The covering of pitches, bouncer limits and protective equipment have made opening less of the challenge it once was. In my opinion, Alastair Cook was a good batsman, who for several years, was a key wicket for opposition bowlers. He is well short of measuring up to "great" status, though. His average proves that in much the same way Anderson's average has him way short of great. Bob Willis had a better average. They just didn't play as much test cricket then. Both Cook and Anderson should be recognised for their longevity and quality, but without the emotive rubbish that suggests they are among the greats of their craft.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Given 25 years is a tad longer than Sangakkara's career, how about we look at the more relevant period? Yes, Sri Lankan pitches have seen some large scores, but its not like Australian pitches have been havens for bowling attacks. Since 2000, the year Kumar debuted in test cricket, Sri Lankan pitches have provided 8 match totals over 1350 runs. In that same time period, Australian pitches have provided 18 match totals over 1350 runs. Sri Lanka posted 16 scores over 550 at home in that period. Australia, 27 home totals over 550. Sangakkara averaged 54 away from home and 60 in Australia. Over 15 years and 134 tests, his records stands up against the very best going around. To dismiss it because of flat home pitches is ignorant. I wonder if you are so quick to belittle Steve Smiths performances because of the flat home roads he gets to bat on?
Larry1950
Guest
Simplistic view of an opener's worth, if you reckon they have to face the new ball which should give them extra credit, how do you take into account those snicks that fly for 4 that we see from many openers. The only reason Warner rates a mention anywhere is the benefit from those flashing edges. Cook's average against Australia is 40 & in England is only 20 odd across his career & if you took out 2010-11 in oz, it would be the same out here. Should also consider, based on recent events, he's never had to face the world's top wicket taking paceman in Anderson. What's the old saying, "there's lies, lies & statistics".
JimmyB
Guest
Err yeah, that’s how averages work.
Larry1950
Guest
Gee's mate, stats and averages would say you're a long way wrong there.
Larry1950
Guest
I guess your criteria is firstly their stats & importantly what impact they have had on matches across their career. As an Aussie, I would class Cook as a typical 'old england' player (Boycott mentality) whose first instinct is to not lose a game rather than set out to win it. From a comparative aspect with Aussies of the same role, I put him closer to the Chris Rogers mould (average 43 over 25 tests with 5 tons & 14 50's after coming in late in his career) rather than a Matt Hayden type (average 50+ from 100 tests) who actually took matches away from his opposition. That said, he has longevity at the test level & deserves great respect for his efforts over a long period.
Jeffrey Dun
Roar Rookie
"I would have thought it exactly proves my assertion." It's an interesting point, but I'm not sure that it does. The point is, if it is so much harder to open in England than it is in other countries, then I would expect the difference in the home and away average to be more than 1.4. When you talk about "most players" having significantly better home averages you might be right. But the first player I thought of to compare Cook with was Graeme Smith. Smith averaged 41.5 at home; away he averaged 55; and, he averaged 67.7 opening in England (although he only played 5 test matches there) . Your assertion certainly holds true for Hayden. I can't be bothered checking any more.
tauranga boy
Guest
Had great moments such as in Australia 2011-12 and particularly in India 2014. Not graceful but gutsy.
BarmyFarmer
Guest
I would argue he is actually the greatest batsmen of all time and this is why. I heard Mikey Holding say something on the broadcast of the final day of this series about Jimmy Anderson. A lot of people play down Anderson’s success because he bowls on wickets more conducive to swing and seam with overcast conditions etc etc but that doesn’t make him any less of a bowler, as he has clearly honed his skills and craft better than anyone else in history to meet the needs of his core playing environment. If it was that easy to do then the all time bowler list would be full of English seamers. Now with Cook we are talking about a batsmen who operates in arguably the hardest possible position in the batting order and potentially the most difficult environment for an opening batsmen in world cricket, just look at the amount of opening partners he has had since Strauss. Yet he has honed his skills and developed incredible discipline to meet the needs of his core playing environment, managing to score more runs than any other opening batsmen in history and only beaten by 4 batsmen who have spent the bulk of their careers operating in far more batting friendly conditions. I’ve seen some people say the number of tests means he was bound to get these runs, what a ridiculous thing to say, the longer the career the more challenging it is both mentally and physically to maintain such standards, especially in the most challenging environment in world cricket for an opening batsmen. He is a legend of the game and may only get the appreciation he deserves in years to come when everyone realises that no opening batsmen will ever come anywhere close to those record numbers.
OffCycling
Guest
Hi DaveJ, the stats came from cricinfo statsguru. I've put a link to the openers batting average below (to get other positions go back to query and change the batting position). Note that the average has increased to 36.99: I'm guessing as it now includes the final Indians innings. I chose since 2000 as that's roughly representative of Cook's career. I'd agree the best batsmen are traditionally at 3 and 4 (and possibly 5 looking at the above), but it's worth noting that opening the batting is a more specialist role than 3-5 so a great opener generally wouldn't be moved to 3 or 4 even if he's the best batsman in the team. (As a side note I got slightly bored- out of 92 batsmen to open the innings at least 40 times in the last 50 years 9 (<10%) have had more than 40 innings total between 3 and 7 in the batting order. Out of 33 batsmen to have had a least 40 innings at 3, 9 (27%) have had at least 40 innings at 4. Given that batted 40 innings total between 3-7 is a much looser criteria than 40 innings batted at 4 this does support that opening is a specialist position). Rating how tough places are to bat in is always tough as the strength of the home team obviously has a big impact on averages. For what it's worth here's the overall batting average in a selected few since 2000: Pakistan 36.64, Australia 34.82, India 33.52, England 31.55, New Zealand 31.38, Sri Lanka 31.16, South Africa 29.89: so England tougher that most, but not much in it (averages opening show a broadly similar trend). Final thing (honest!)- Much as I love all these stats I don't think they are the be all and end all. If you asked me to give a bowling average needed before a player could even be discussed as a great I'd probably say sub 25. That would exclude Shane Warne and even as an Englishman that feels wrong. http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?batting_positionmax1=2;batting_positionval1=batting_position;class=1;filter=advanced;groupby=overall;orderby=runs;spanmax1=31+Dec+2100;spanmin1=01+Jan+2001;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting
Simoc
Guest
Hayden is not an all time great and certainly not in the class of Cook as a test batsman. He was a very good Australian batsman who had some great series and Qlders love him. Not up there with the international best though and Cook is.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
I would have thought it exactly proves my assertion. Most players have significantly better averages at home than they do away from home.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
It's also hard to see who has the potential to be the next great opener now that Warner is out of the picture. Lokesh Rahul for India and Aiden Markram for South Africa are perhaps the best hopes.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
It's an interesting point about comparing him with other openers. I think opening the batting is more difficult in some era than others. Think of the 90's where openers had to face Ambrose, McGrath, Walsh, Donald, Wasim, Waqar, and even players like Srinath and Gough. I think openers like Atherton and Taylor would have average much more in another era.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
I think his averages in his last few years were bumped up by a few massive innings. His 2017/18 Ashes epitomises this. He had a pretty poor series, but his double hundred in Melbourne meant he finished the series with a decent average.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
James. That is an extremely valid point. I would add that having a limited array of go-to shots should have made it easier for the opposition.
Tigerbill44
Roar Guru
I will say he was very good without being great.
Nick
Guest
It is difficult using averages to determine whether someone is a great player particularly when you're comparing batsmen from different positions in the order. Some allowance has to be given for the difficulties of opening. Gavaskar was unquestionably the best opening batsman I've seen and one of the greats but only managed to average 51 simply because of the nature of the position in which he batted. Only all-time greats like Hobbs and Sutcliffe averaged in the mid fifties or low sixties while opening. Few other openers have broached the fifty mark even though their skills compared with batsmen with higher averages whom they often prepared the way for. Cook and Smith of SA were probably the last great exponents of traditional test opening batting skills and I think we should mourn their passing as they possessed attributes of determination and resilience that few if any modern batsmen appear to have. It is difficult to think of many current test players who you would back to have both the skill and mental toughness to bat to save a test match if their side was in trouble and Alistair Cook was perhaps the last.