What does the future hold for England opener Alastair Cook?

Sport360 Writers 18:36 01/04/2018
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  • Alastair Cook’s poor form continued during England’s second Test against New Zealand with the opener falling cheaply for 14 on Sunday. It was another disappointing display from the 33-year-old who scored 5, 2 and 2 in the series.

    Our writers Ashish Peter, Denzil Pinto and Stuart Appleby have their say on what is next for Cook?

    Is Cook coming towards the end of his England career?

    AP: For long, Cook has been the darling of England cricket, especially when he served as the skipper. He has had a slump previously too but the shield that the England captaincy afforded meant he remained immovable from the line up. With that defence no longer valid, the opener is definitely walking a tightrope. The worrying aspect of Cook’s decline is that his feet just seem to be moving too slowly, indicating that age might be catching up after all.

    DP: When you take his age into consideration, then at 33, you would think it’s the end of the road. Even more so of his recent displays where he’s failed to reach double figures in his last three innings and 14 being his highest in the New Zealand Test series. But Cook has found himself in the same position before. He bounced back from a poor 2014, breaking numerous records on the way in 2015 and it just needs one good knock to get his confidence back.

    SA: Cook is thick-skinned and stubborn – and won’t be forced away easily. 12,000 plus Test runs is proof that he likes to stick around but his England career seems to be running thin. Lack of consistency has become a big issue with the opener scoring only 216 runs in 16 innings, outside of his double tons against the West Indies and Australia. Susceptibility outside off-stump has become chronic and question marks over his desire to play on, go on.

    Or is talk of his lack of form and demise premature?

    AP: While his excellent record speaks for itself, the talk of his demise does not seem premature this time. The left-hander is definitely at a crossroads in his career at the moment and his performance over the English summer might well decide his fate. Two double hundreds in the midst of his recent slump show that Cook still has it. What he desperately needs to show over the coming months is some consistency.

    DP: Every player has ups and downs in his career and Cook is no different. You only have to look at his record: he still averages over 46 and has plundered 32 centuries for his country. Unfortunately, once his form dips, his future quickly becomes the talking point. Perhaps unfairly too, considering he became a squad member since 2006. Indeed, Nasser Hussein, a man worth listening too, leapt to his defence saying he will still always ‘find a way of scoring runs’.

    SA: The Essex batsman has played 152 Test matches in a row – and has not missed any of England’s last 700 odd days or so of Tests. If he plays two more, then he will surpass Allan Border. Since his debut back in Nagpur in 2006, Cook has always been under the microscope as an opener and then as captain – so more chatter about his future won’t concern him. How he fares against Pakistan and India this summer will decide his long-term fate.

    Who could replace Cook at the top of the order?

    AP: It is actually the lack of options waiting in the wings for England that might well assure Cook of an extended run for some time to come. For years England have struggled to replace Cook’s former opening partner Andrew Strauss and even now, the results with Mark Stoneman have been mixed. Only Haseeb Hameed comes to mind but even he has not really lit up the domestic scene of late.

    DP: With India and Pakistan coming up this summer, ECB cannot afford to losing Cook anytime soon. Another shot at the Ashes in 2019 seems the perfect time to say his farewell, leaving plenty of time for players to press their case. One man who could be one their radar is young Lancashire opener Haseeb Hameed. The 21-year-old made 82 with Cook on his Test debut against India but injuries dented his chances. Needs a solid season to get back in the set-up.

    SA: He is sixth in the all-time Test run charts and shouldn’t be wished away, especially when English cricket’s cupboard of batting talent is bare. Cook’s experience, too, is valuable in a transitional and challenging phase for Joe Root’s men. The fact the selectors have failed to find a permanent opening partner for Cook since Andrew Strauss’ retirement in 2012 tells you all you need to know about how difficult a task replacing him would be as well.

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