Alastair Cook became the first Englishman to reach 10,000 Test runs on day four of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Durham. Take a look at the top five innings of the England skipper’s stellar career.
1. 104 v India, Nagpur, 2006
As if scoring 60 on debut, when away from home and opening the innings, wasn’t worthy enough to be on this list, Cook would well and truly make his mark by powering an unbeaten 104 in the second innings against India. The match ended in a draw, but England had a new hero to shout about.
2. 235 v Australia, Brisbane, 2010
Cook set the tone for England’s 3-1 Ashes victory in 2010-11 with a stunning double-hundred in the second innings of the first Test to save the game. In his 10-and-a-half-hour marathon, he was involved in a 188-run stand with Andrew Strauss, followed by a partnership of 329 with Jonathan Trott. Despite the draw, Cook would go on to score two more centuries in the victorious tour.
3. 294 v India, Birmingham, 2011
Still fresh from his Ashes double-ton, Cook repeated the feat against India in the third Test at Edgbaston as England easily wrested the number-one crown. It was to be Cook’s highest first-class score and helped cement his position as England’s premier opening batsman.
4. 190 v India, Kolkata 2012
Cook’s third century of his maiden tour as captain and one which helped England take a 2-1 lead in India with one Test to play. After India made 316, Cook struck a superb 190, even hitting two of his 10 Test sixes. He failed in the second innings but England were on their way to a seven-wicket win and, eventually, a first series win in India since 1985-86.
5. 263 v Pakistan, Abu Dhabi 2015
Cook displayed remarkable powers of concentration and stamina to compile the longest Test innings by an England batsman during the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in late 2015. The skipper batted 190 overs, and almost 14 hours, in making a remarkable knock of 263 off 528 balls which helped his side post a first-innings 598 for nine declared and push for an unlikely victory on the final evening.
Source: ECB