What does Cook have to do?

[Dan]

It's generally accepted that in a hypothetical All-Time XI Scenario, the batting for England would be opened by a combination of Hobbs, Hutton, Sutcliffe or Grace - with most sides tending to lean towards the former two.

In lieu of Alastair Cook's 23rd Test century (taking him past Boycott, Cowdrey and Hammond) and becoming the youngest batsman to pass 7000 Test match runs, I think it is a pretty fair question to ask what he has to do from now on to be mentioned in an All-Time England XI discussion.

So, what does Cook have to do?

 

[Spikey]

start slog sweeping fast bowlers

 

[Satyanash89]

Bat like this fir a few more years, atleast till his mid 30s... thatll be enouh to atleast merit discussion even though he might not be chosen

 

[superkingdave]

start slog sweeping fast bowlers

He's no Mal Loye

 

[Satyanash89]

start slog sweeping fast bowlers

Mal Loye - ATG

 

[Spikey]

a. cook may well be the only player ever who, when discussing ATG status, will have the issue of how much they sweat come up

 

[Garson007]

Just keep on keeping on. You can't argue against his (potential) longevity.

 

[Top_Cat]

It's generally accepted that in a hypothetical All-Time XI Scenario, the batting for England would be opened by a combination of Hobbs, Hutton, Sutcliffe or Grace - with most sides tending to lean towards the former two.

In lieu of Alastair Cook's 23rd Test century (taking him past Boycott, Cowdrey and Hammond) and becoming the youngest batsman to pass 7000 Test match runs, I think it is a pretty fair question to ask what he has to do from now on to be mentioned in an All-Time England XI discussion.

So, what does Cook have to do?

Has scored over half those tons in the past 2 years so it'll be interesting how his record changes when the inevitable form trough comes. How he goes after that will probably dictate how's he's regarded in an all-time sense.

Hell of a record already, though.

 

[grecian]

Just keep on keeping on. You can't argue against his (potential) longevity.

Yeah it's fairly basic. He'll never get the plaudits on style, so like Kallis, he'll just have to keep on grinding on, then people will start to believe.

 

[centurymaker]

he has got to hope that he faces strong attacks more often so that he can prove himself against them.

if he does really well in the 10 ashes tests against Pattingson/cummings and siddle co.. then he'll start to be rated very highly.

 

[benchmark00]

Cook is a run machine. His play over here in the last Ashes series was one of the finest exhibition of run making I've ever seen. Legitimate run machine.

 

[Xuhaib]

it might be just bad run of form. I have seen some quality bowlers like Asif,Aamer and Philander make him look way below average. However can't argue with his record though but I feel he is one of those who really cashes in if the bowling attack is slightly average.

Bit like a young Kallis.

 

[centurymaker]

Has scored over half those tons in the past 2 years so it'll be interesting how his record changes when the inevitable form trough comes. .

english are playing like 15 tests a year.
it's almost like 3 years of tests squeezed into 2.

 

[cnerd123]

Cook's average is 49.37

I guess if he gets it above 50, and maintains it there for a while, he should be in with a good shout.

Some more Test wins as captain wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Xuhaib]

he has got to hope that he faces strong attacks more often so that he can prove himself against them.

if he does really well in the 10 ashes tests against Pattingson/cummings and siddle co.. then he'll start to be rated very highly.

yup this could be break or break for him. Even in his golden run of form for last two years his record against the only two sides that had good bowling attacks has been mediocre.

 

[centurymaker]

it might be just bad run of form. I have seen some quality bowlers like Asif,Aamer and Philander make him look way below average. However can't argue with his record though but I feel he is one of those who really cashes in if the bowling attack is slightly average.
.

yup.
Ishant also had success against him outside off stump in England last yr.

As i said he has to prove himself against better attacks and in more challenging conditions (like when the ball's swinging around in england) to attain greatness

The way 100s and 200s are being scored nowadays, it's almost like 150 is the new 100.
more and more centurions are turning 100s into big 100s with ease... which reflects poorly on the bowling stock around the world.

 

[Dan]

Cook's average is 49.37

I guess if he gets it above 50, and maintains it there for a while, he should be in with a good shout.

Some more Test wins as captain wouldn't hurt either.

Including the current innings it is a touch above 50. If he hits another boundary then gets out, he would be exactly on 50 if my calculations are correct.

 

[uvelocity]

yup.
Ishant also had success against him outside off stump in England last yr.

As i said he has to prove himself against better attacks and in more challenging conditions (like when the ball's swinging around in england) to attain greatness

The way 100s and 200s are being scored nowadays, it's almost like 150 is the new 100.
more and more centurions are turning 100s into big 100s with ease... which reflects poorly on the bowling stock around the world.

reckon it has a lot to do with scoring rates, back in the olden days it felt like it took forever and was a big achievement to get to 100. now you see guys scoring the second fifty in 20 balls

 

[centurymaker]

reckon it has a lot to do with scoring rates, back in the olden days it felt like it took forever and was a big achievement to get to 100. now you see guys scoring the second fifty in 20 balls

yea
and that is probably due to bigger/better bats, better outfields, smaller grounds, influence of T20 etc..

it's basically devaluing runs.

i think at the very least they should keep the grass long in grounds (slow outfield) and have the ropes as far back as possible, not 20 yards pulled in. (bigger grounds).

 

[Howe_zat]

Long story short, he has to be a better batsman, and he can't just do that by scoring more runs. People remember the level of skillfulness, or batsmanship or whatever you want to call it (it's more than aesthetics) that someone seems to be playing with rather than anything else and they've valid reason to. When Ponting or Lara were at their best they seemed impossible to get out and playing against them seemed almost unfair. It's a level of quality Cook will never have no matter how prolific he becomes.