What's new

Alastair Cook retires from international cricket/continues to play domestic

Savak said:
Can't really say he had a choice, he was most definitely going to be dropped after the series and i am sure the selectors may have told him privately that they were looking to move on.
Click to expand...

But I'm pretty sure many Asian cricketers would have still hung around like a bad smell.
 
Conquered England.

Conquered Australia.

Conquered India.

One of the best openers ever.

Farewell champ. :bow:
 
Outside his great achievements with the bat,he was also one of the nicest blokes to have played the game. An inspiration for everyone out there.

A true fighter of the game and a champion player.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a sensational international career Alastair Cook has had. One of the greatest opening batsmen ever to have donned a pair of pads and gloves. Wish him all the very best. 👏👏</p>— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1036651016740065281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
The last opener in world cricket who had the ability to play proper test cricket and go really big when set. With the retirement of Cook and the decline of Amla, cricket will finally wake up to the damage T20 cricket has done to test cricket in the long run.

Magnificent career and truly an English legend. His unbelievable knocks in India and Australia in that 2011-2012 period were instrumental in making England number one in test cricket. Hats off and best of luck.
 
Usman Chadda said:
The last opener in world cricket who had the ability to play proper test cricket and go really big when set. With the retirement of Cook and the decline of Amla, cricket will finally wake up to the damage T20 cricket has done to test cricket in the long run.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about that :azhar2
 
Mamoon said:
One of the great Test openers of all time. People often underestimate how difficult his role was - opening the batting in Test cricket in England is the toughest job in the game.
Click to expand...

Certainly has been true during the current series in England, where both Indian openers have failed repeatedly and have not been able to protect the later batsmen. Really wish we found another opener like Gavaskar, who ended his career with an away average higher than his home average.
 
I think this retirement is a tad premature. Yes he’s had a lean run and yes he’s under pressure with family commitment also playing a part. But honestly taking a break for a year or so isn’t a bad thing and returning when he’s ready if he can still command a place based on domestic performance. I think in a year England will still not have a good enough replacement.

A tour to UAE will help get his average back up over 50.
 
There were a couple of years from the Ashes triumph till the India tour when Cook was an absolute monster scoring runs by the ton and was arguably the best batsman in the world. He never quite reached that level of performance again but overall that's an excellent career!
 
Truly a wonderful player. Sadly I think last of a dying breed.
Opening in England, where the balls moves around so much, is a real challenge. To have averaged almost 45 in these conditions is a testament to his skill.
 
Sad he didn't leave when he was performing well. Sometimes players fool themselves into believing they are still good enough. I don't think he was selfish, just determined.

Even if he had left earlier, it probably would not have made any difference. England cupboard is bare at the top of the order. Maybe that would have given time to check out Bairstow or someone else as openers a bit earlier.

But really, all evidence points this is just the right time for Cook to go.
 
Congratulations Cook for having a wonderful career.

A great batsman and a true gentleman of the game.
 
Mamoon said:
One of the great Test openers of all time. People often underestimate how difficult his role was - opening the batting in Test cricket in England is the toughest job in the game. To do what he did so successfully for over 120-130 Tests requires exceptional class and dedication. The fact that England have not produced an opener since his debut who has been good enough to do the job for more than a couple of years exemplifies his quality.

He has been quite ordinary in his last 30-40 Tests, but he still managed to show glimpses of his pedigree. However, his achievements tower over the successes of many cricketers. Not many players can boast of destroying Australia and India on their turf like he did in 2010-2011 and 2012, and although his record as captain was not great, he still managed Test series wins in India and South Africa.

He is the most high-achieving English player in modern cricket, and few openers have had better careers in 150 years of Test cricket.

Those who say that he is not a great of the game because of XYZ cherry-picked stats do not understand cricket. There is no one path to greatness - every career has a different story, and a record-breaking career like Cook's deserves all the recognition and adulation.
Click to expand...

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that he never got to the #1 ranking for even a single day in his entire test career, was extremely boring to watch with zero charisma, and an extremely poor LOs cricketer.
 
One of the best openers ever and my favorite england batsmen after KP. Will Never forget his resilient 190 (I might be wrong on the number but it was a last inning 100 & a very defiant one) something in the first test match in india 2012 series. That inning build the momentum & inspired the other senior bats to score runs in the series.
 
Playing a classic top order hand here in what will be either his penultimate or his final innings. Gone past 50 now.
 
Sad to see him leave. It feels like he and Anderson have been playing for England forever.
 
Felt after the 2012 India series, he could never really dominate any series or even play any back-to-wall inning, which prevents him from being an ATG.

Nevertheless, alongside KP, two of England's greatest ever modern-day batsmen to have played the game.
 
The one time the top order stands up and then the middle/lower order bottles it.

I know Cook in general has been poor this year, but I'm not sure what England are going to do. It seems more likely that a guy who is just 33 who is an England great to come back to form given his great record, and the fact he average over 40 every year since 2015 except 2018 even though people were doubting him then. The other openers don't look like they can even average 30.

Before completely packing it in, maybe it was worth trying him down the order. There's not a single big innings player in the team, Root packs it in after the 50. England's top (and even middle order) just looks so dire atm, and Cook leaving doesn't seem it's going to strengthen the side when the alternatives atm aren't great.
 
Sad to see another quality cricketer retire in their early 30s. Has had a forgettable year with the bat but he's too good of a player not to fight through it. Any ways congrats to Cook on a stellar career and all the best.
 
Cook in talks for swift move to commentary box

LONDON: Alastair Cook is understood to be considering an offer to try his hand at commentary early next year.
ESPNcricinfo understands that Cook, who is retiring from Test cricket at the end of the current match against India at The Oval, is in talks with TalkSport to join their commentary team for England’s tour of the Caribbean at the start of 2019.

TalkSport gave notice of their ambition earlier this year by winning the audio rights for England’s series in Sri Lanka and the Caribbean over the season of 2018-19.

Mark Nicholas, Darren Gough, David Lloyd and Jarrod Kimber are understood to be part of the commentary team at various stages of winter.

It is also believed TalkSport are likely to be awarded the rights for England’s tour of South Africa in 2019-20, with the BBC retaining the rights to the tour of New Zealand that precedes it. The BBC has also won a long-term deal to broadcast the Ashes - men’s and women’s - and ICC events. No final decision has yet been made on Cook’s involvement but the early interest does suggest he will not struggle for opportunities in his post-playing career.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/366066-cook-in-talks-for-swift-move-to-commentary-box
 
Cooks final test innings. Wow can remember waking up to watch his debut innings and now I'm watching his final test innings.
 
In this match he has played very well.

I respect his decision to retire completely - he knows himself best - but arggggghhhh is he going a bit too early?
 
50 runs will take his average to 45 and 76 runs will take him past Sangakkara.
 
James said:
In this match he has played very well.

I respect his decision to retire completely - he knows himself best - but arggggghhhh is he going a bit too early?
Click to expand...

Wonder if he let the pressure get to him, and finally is playing without pressure, and looks good.

That said, he said he had nothing left in the tank. He's played 13 tests per year. When you think about it, with preparation and all, he's spent 25% of the year just playing tests and preparing for them. That must be draining.

In contrast, even Anderson has played around 10 tests per year. That's almost a month per year better.
 
A great test batsman and England's best of the modern era. Deserves a century in his final innings.
 
Still good enough to play Test cricket - always the sign of a guy who isn't selfish or desperate to hang onto his place.
 
Wish Indian brothers, sisters and others good luck, but I hope Alastair scores 100 :amla
 
Mamoon said:
50 runs will take his average to 45 and 76 runs will take him past Sangakkara.
Click to expand...

If he can score another 15,016 runs without getting out, he'll end with a better average than Bradman.

But if he gets out, he'll need to make another 15,116.

Tricky.
 
Alastair Cook has overtaken Kumar Sangakkara to become the fifth highest-scoring Test batsman
 
A truly remarkable way to sign off a legendary career. This was most certainly written in the stars.
 
What a fitting way for Cook to play his last innings for England. Deserves an average of 45+ and will surely end his last game as MOTM - unless if India chase whatever target they're set.
 
Brilliant batting by Cook, a class apart from anyone in the England team.

Happy to see him go with hopefully a match winning century.
 
DmvQe4cW0AALrgx.jpg:large
 
I have a feeling he'll be back. Maybe after the tour of Sri Lanka. He'll want to sign off after winning another Ashes at home and as we have seen in this match, Cook is still one of the two best openers in England.

Abdullah719 said:
If he can score another 15,016 runs without getting out, he'll end with a better average than Bradman.

But if he gets out, he'll need to make another 15,116.

Tricky.
Click to expand...

:)) Legendary response.
 
What a fantastic ovation he receivedal after getting that hundred. Deserved too.
 
Good bye Chef. Your last meal was a perfect illustration of the career you had.

Grit, determination, patience. England will miss Cook.
 
Stellar career he had.
One coincidence: Hanuma Vihari was making a debut while Cook was saying good bye.
And Vihari took the wicket of Cook as well. So a debutant took the wicket of a very fine player playing his last innings
What a coincidence!
 
Bilal7 said:
I have a feeling he'll be back. Maybe after the tour of Sri Lanka. He'll want to sign off after winning another Ashes at home and as we have seen in this match, Cook is still one of the two best openers in England.



:)) Legendary response.
Click to expand...

He is not Pakistani, he won’t be back. Not sure what was the point of Abdullah719’s post though. Was it humor or sarcasm.

Whatever it was, it was out of character. It is not bad to be out of character at times though.
 
A fifty and a hundred on his Test debut to a fifty and a hundred in his last Test. Couldn't have scripted it any better I don't think. Quality bat and seems like a decent bloke as well no ego. Deserves all the accolades all the best to him.
 
If he played for another 4 years he would have broken Tendulkar.Though ifs and but ,I am sure
 
Gonna miss his big shuffle across the stumps and beautiful ways of snicking off.
 
Mamoon said:
He is not Pakistani, he won’t be back. Not sure what was the point of Abdullah719’s post though. Was it humor or sarcasm.

Whatever it was, it was out of character. It is not bad to be out of character at times though.
Click to expand...

Light humour bro.

Nice to see Cook finish with an average in excess of 45, the margins are small but they make a difference down the line.
 
I was watching at home when Cook got his century and that was just an amazing moment, I got goosebumps, there was a delay in play such was the applause. I had to go out afterwards but I recorded it as I wanted to see the live moment he got out. Got more goosebumps, felt surreal. Alastair Cook, what a man.
 
Press release

England great Alastair Cook has received a knighthood in the New Year's Honours. The 34-year-old becomes the 11th Englishman to be knighted for services to cricket.

The announcement comes off the back of a summer in which Cook bowed out of the international game as England's all-time leading run-scorer and the fifth-highest run-scorer in the history of the men's Test game.

Cook - who delivered one of the moments of the summer by signing off with his 33rd and final Test ton - is one of four people associated with the game to receive a New Year's Honour.

Enid Bakewell, a legend of the women's game, has received an MBE, while Alvin Kallicharran and Peter Wynne-Thomas have both been recognised with a British Empire Medal.

Bakewell, who enjoyed a 14-year England career, won the inaugural Women's World Cup in 1973 and was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2012.


ECB chairman Colin Graves:

"Alastair Cook has given so much to English cricket and I’m delighted that he has received this honour.

"It’s a fitting tribute to a man who has led with distinction on and off the pitch ever since he made his England debut.

"The statistics across that time tell the story of his special ability - as do the winners' medals and Ashes trophies - but he is also someone who’s been a great role model for our sport.

"We’re very fortunate to have had Alastair in English cricket and we’re very grateful for his contributions to the game.

"It’s also fantastic news for Enid Bakewell, Peter Wynne-Thomas and Alvin Kallicharran. All three of them have contributed hugely to our great sport and we congratulate them on their honours."


ECB chief executive officer Tom Harrison:

"I am absolutely thrilled that Alastair has been awarded a knighthood for his extraordinary service to cricket and to his country. Alastair is the very definition of what a sporting role model should be - a man who completely embodies what it means to play for England on and off the field and understands the responsibility that goes along with it. Throughout his long international career, he has set the example for others to follow.

"We are exceptionally fortunate to have had him represent England since 2006, both as a fearless and record-breaking opening batsman and as one of our most successful captains of all time.

"Since he was flown out to Nagpur as a last-minute replacement he’s poured every ounce of his commitment into English cricket. His final century was incredibly special and will live with everyone who witnessed it for a long time.

"He has given everything to this sport and he’s done so in a way that embodies much of what is great about cricket. While the list of his records may never be passed, it is his contribution as a person and as a leader that will go beyond even his statistical achievements.

"It is a rare honour and one that he richly deserves.
 
Well deserved. He's a great player and a good man. Someone should offer him a PSL contract, would bring in a few eyes for sure.
 
Has Alvin Kallicharran received a British Empire Medal for violating the Gleneagles Agreement prohibiting sporting contact with Apartheid South Africa?

What a shame his 25 year ban is over.

And what a disgrace that a man sentenced to such a severe ban - three years more than Asif, Amir and Butt COMBINED- is now somehow considered rehabilitated.
 
Is an MBE different from a knighthood?

Every England player gets that - an MBE - when they do something simple like winning a home series vs Aus.
 
Varun said:
Is an MBE different from a knighthood?

Every England player gets that - an MBE - when they do something simple like winning a home series vs Aus.
Click to expand...

You don’t get the ‘Sir’ title with MBE for starters
 
Varun said:
Is an MBE different from a knighthood?

Every England player gets that - an MBE - when they do something simple like winning a home series vs Aus.
Click to expand...

Yes, the Knight Batchelor and Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order or the British Empire are higher honorifics than Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

Alistair Cook, Paul McCartney and Patrick Stewart are Knights Batchelor.

Plenty of England cricketers don’t hold the rank of MBE despite beating Australia at home. The 2005 team all did, after the Ashes were recovered from enemy hands for a long and bitter sixteen years. There was nothing simple about that win, against an Australian side with at least four and perhaps six champions.
 
So not just Kallicharran but Matthew Maynard too!

It’s a veritable Rogue’s Gallery of mercenaries who broke the sporting boycott of Apartheid South Africa.

As for Alastair Cook, I wonder how deeply vetted he was.

When he made his first tour of Australia, I’m pretty sure that it was Cook who had to have umpteen parking tickets in Perth paid off by the ECB before he was allowed to enter the country. Cook (or whoever it was if my memory has let me down) had played a season of grade cricket and Perth which he never expected to repeat, so he had parked his car at his convenience all southern summer in the belief that he would be back in Britain before the Law caught up with him.
 
I was surprised to see this. He definitely doesn’t deserve it based on his batting (he was only good enough for one format and even in that he had serious limitations) but perhaps for his mental toughness and leadership on/off the field?
 
Alastair Cook, the former England captain, who retired from international cricket last year, has insisted he’ll never return to international cricket, back-tracking on an earlier instance when he said “never say never”.

Cook called time on his international career during the Tests against India last year, scoring a memorable 147 in his final innings. However, England have since struggled to replace him, and his retirement has compounded problems in the openers’ slot.

Cook, meanwhile, has been in decent nick for Essex, starting the season with a 150* for Cambridge MCCU and scoring a half-century against Hampshire thereafter.

But, he insisted he’d never go back on his international retirement. "The call's not coming. It's not coming," he told Sky Sports. “In the last couple of interviews I've done, there's always been a headline. Look, I'm not coming back. I've had my go. I said, 'never say never', and that's the worst thing I've said.

“Someone said, 'If there was 15 broken legs, would you come back?' No, that's it. Unfortunately, my time has gone. I look back on it with great, fond memories, but it's time for me to move on, it's time for England cricket to move on.”

For now, Cook just wants to “hopefully enjoy a couple of years of county cricket”, and with that, he hopes to end all talk of his potential future international return.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1199541
 
Could have easily played another 2/3 years without getting dropped but knew his time was up. So wish our players could learn from this. We have average players playing till 40 , Cook is 1 of England's greats and still retired early.
 
I always felt Cook retired too early. He should still have been the first choice for England.

He is still scoring centuries in county cricket and is definetly still the best opener in the country by a mile.
 
Scores a hundred for Essex on the first day of the season.

Get this guy out of international retirement!
 
<b>County Championship: Alastair Cook makes century for Essex v Kent</b>


<I>LV= County Championship Division One, The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford (day one):</I>


Essex 272-4: Browne 107, A Cook 100; Bird 2-49
Kent: Yet to bat


Centuries from openers Alastair Cook and Nick Browne gave Essex a strong start to their County Championship campaign against Kent.

But Kent rallied late in the day with some key wickets to peg Essex back to 262-4 from 220-0.

Earlier Cook (100) and Browne (107) batted together for more than two sessions before reaching their tons.

Both fell in the evening session along with Dan Lawrence (7) and nightwatchman Jamie Porter as Essex closed on 272-4.

Jackson Bird (2-49) claimed the wickets of both centurions as first Browne was bowled misjudging an off-drive and then Cook gave a thin outside edge through to stand-in Kent captain Ollie Robinson behind the stumps.

But despite Kent being rewarded for their persistence with the ball late on, the day was dominated by former England captain Cook and right-hander Browne.

Both went relatively untroubled on their way to three figures and Browne was first to the landmark.

His 17th first-class century was brought up with his 13th four. But shortly after he fell to Bird, Cook followed suit.

Cook's 70th first-class century and 37th in an Essex shirt was a characteristic effort off 266 balls and included 11 fours as he reached 100 with a trademark leg glance for a single off Matt Milnes.

However, he also was dismissed in the final half hour of play with England Test batter Lawrence also departing soon after. Former Essex seamer Matt Quinn trapped him leg before as he offered no shot to a ball that nipped back from outside off stump.

Porter was also leg before first ball to Nathan Gilchrist but Essex captain Tom Westley will resume on 28 not out with debutant Matt Critchley (4 not out) alongside him at the crease.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/61003664
 
If he was still playing, he would probably still be England’s best batsman. At a push, he might be second best. But he’d be head and shoulders above all the rest. Wish he hadn’t retired. He had years of great innings left in him.
 
James said:
Scores a hundred for Essex on the first day of the season.

Get this guy out of international retirement!
Click to expand...

No thanks, Sir Alastair much rather tend the chickens now, he has paid his dues
 
Usman said:
If he was still playing, he would probably still be England’s best batsman. At a push, he might be second best. But he’d be head and shoulders above all the rest. Wish he hadn’t retired. He had years of great innings left in him.
Click to expand...

I agree.

He can probably still play for England and do well. He seems to be in good form.
 
As per a media report, Sir Alastair Cook is all set to call time on his professional career at the end of the season.
 

Alastair Cook: England and Essex legend retires from professional cricket​


England and Essex legend Alastair Cook has announced his retirement from professional cricket, ending a record-breaking 20-year career.

Left-hander Cook, 38, retired from Test cricket in 2018 but has played five more seasons with Essex since then.

Cook's contract at Chelmsford has expired and England's all-time leading run-scorer is not seeking an extension.

"It is not easy to say goodbye. Cricket has been so much more than my job," said Cook in a statement.

"It has allowed me to experience places I never dreamed I would go, be a part of teams that have achieved things I would never have thought possible and, most importantly, created deep friendships that will last a lifetime.

"From the eight-year-old boy who first played for Wickham Bishops Under-11s to now, I end with a strange feeling of sadness mixed with pride. Above all, I am incredibly happy."

Essex had been waiting on a decision from Cook following the end of the County Championship season, when they finished second behind champions Surrey.

Coach Anthony McGrath said he was hopeful the county would "see him for a bit longer", but Cook informed Essex he would be retiring on Thursday evening.

"It is the right time for this part of my life to come to an end," added Cook. "I have always given absolutely everything I possibly could have to be the best player I could be, but now I want to make way for the new generation to take over.

"I will never underestimate the privilege I have had to play cricket. I will always be grateful for what the game has given to me. Now, I hope the Bedfordshire Farmers will find space for a has-been 'all-rounder' somewhere in their lower order."

Cook made his professional debut against Essex for Essex Cricket Board in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy in 2003, then played in the County Championship for Essex later that summer.

He made a double hundred for Essex against the touring Australians in 2005, and the next year was famously called up from an England Lions tour in the West Indies to make his England Test debut against India in Nagpur, scoring a century in the second innings.

It would be the start of a 161-cap Test career, 159 of them played consecutively, a world record.

Cook's 12,472 Test runs and 33 centuries are England records, while no batter for any team has made more than Cook's 11,845 runs as a Test opener.

He was England Test captain between 2012 and 2017, leading in 59 matches, then a record which has since been broken by Joe Root.

Cook captained England to Ashes series wins on home soil in 2013 and 2015, but was also the leader on the wrong end of a 5-0 hammering down under in 2013-14. He was captain for 69 one-day internationals between 2010 and 2014.

Cook's crowning glory was the 766 runs he scored to be player of the series during the 2010-11 Ashes win in Australia, England's only triumph in an away Ashes since 1986-87.

The end of his Test career, when he was only 33, was fairytale stuff. Announcing his retirement before the fifth match of the series against India five years ago, Cook marked his final match as an England player with a century amid emotional scenes at The Oval, with his wife Alice heavily pregnant with their third child.

"Although my England career came to an end in 2018, I remain blown away by the amount of affection I receive from England supporters," said Cook.

"Wherever I have travelled, you have been there with your enthusiasm, kind words and unshakable belief. English cricket really does have the best fans in the world."

Cook initially signed to play three more years with Essex, the county he joined as a 12-year-old.

He was part of the team that won the County Championship in 2019, repelling the Somerset spinners on a tense final day of the season at Taunton.

Essex were in with an outside chance of regaining the title until the final round this season, only to lose out to Surrey. The last of Cook's 352 first-class matches came away to Northants. He was out for six in each innings, both times to Ben Sanderson.

Overall, Cook ends on 26,643 first-class runs - comfortably higher than anyone else currently playing the game - at an average of more than 46, with 74 hundreds.

Since the end of his England career, Cook's 3,889 runs in the County Championship and Bob Willis Trophy is bettered only by Durham's Alex Lees.

He also played a total of 178 List A matches and 32 T20s, making 14 white-ball hundreds.

"I won't miss strapping on my pads and facing the new ball, but I will miss being in the Essex changing room," said Cook.

"When I ended my international career, I had no idea that I would have five more bonus years playing for Essex. I cannot put into words just how much fun we have had during that time."

Cook was knighted for services to cricket in 2019. At the time he was the first England cricketer to receive a knighthood since Ian Botham in 2007.

James Anderson, England's all-time leading wicket-taker, said Cook has had an "amazing" career.

Caught Cook, bowled Anderson occurred on 40 occasions in Test cricket, the most for any fielder-bowler combination for England.

"I feel very fortunate that I got to play a lot with him," said Anderson. "For him to give back to Essex what he has over the past few years speaks volumes about him.

"He constantly performs, churning out runs. He'll be hugely missed."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said: "I don't know if we'll see a player like him again. He's the last of a dying breed of openers. He maximised every ounce of his ability to the maximum level.

"He was a great team member and a great ambassador for the game."

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
  • Poll Poll
Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket
2 3
Replies
163
Views
7K
Ab Fan
Ab Fan
Ball Blazer
All international cricketers to participate in one domestic tournament: PCB
Replies
1
Views
472
RidiculousMan
RidiculousMan
Cricket Warrior
"In international cricket that pitch is not up to international standard for sure": Mike Hesson
Replies
23
Views
720
Mamoon
Mamoon
Ab Fan
India - England combined XI (Post 2000s)
Replies
20
Views
507
DeadlyVenom
D
Ball Blazer
Zimbabwe tour of England (2025)
Replies
57
Views
2K
light
L
Back
Top