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[KettonJake]

Dear fellow do some research before giving such lacklustre responses. Sir Geoffrey played on uncovered pitches not the modern day pancakes. Smith was captain in over 100 of his matches since he was 22 iirc.

Is saying Smith is 'considerably superior' without providing any reason why a lacklustre statement? I'd say so.

Thought we were talking about great openers? What has the captaincy (Cook was captain for a large portion of his career) got to do with that? You don't get 5 test double centuries (yes the one against West Indies 4th XI in the day/night test was easy runs, I was there to watch) and still be classed as significantly worse than someone like Graeme Smith in my opinion. Smith also got 5 but 2 of them were at home against Bangladesh...

What exactly makes Smith 'considerably superior' to Cook as a batsman? Both of them to be brutally honest were horrendous to watch from an entertainment point of view, ugly techniques, even in 'full flow' they were never exactly Ian Bell or Kane Williamson. Yet both were extremely effective as openers in an unconventional way.

Away from the main subject, Smith in particular I admire for sheer grit, his bloody minded determination to drag South Africa to the pinnacle of test cricket was incredible. Both share that sort mindset to grind things out, do it the ugly way, etc. With the retirement of Cook this has probably been lost from the game. The ability to grind a bowling attack down, absorbing everything thrown at them and more, before reaping your reward is not something I can see in the sport where run rates are on the up and the idea of test matches changing to 4 days continues to gather momentum.

[LEACHY48]

Christ the amount of armchair critics that pipe up on the same topics is ludicrous. Cook is the 5th highest run scorer ever in test cricket (even with only 4 shots), he has won 4 ashes series, he ranks joint 16th of all time in numbers of centuries scored, nlt sure what part of these stats indicate he is not a legend.  will people please shut up about him being a flat track bully - the guy averages 45 in international cricket and has scored runs anywhere and everywhere he has played. He is the greatest opening batsman England have ever had and having asked some ex players myself who they rank highest - they all said Cook Atherton and boycott were on a par but no one they have played with out works cook, and for that he has my utmost respect.

[sarg]

Well Done Cook. Bravo.

Apparently, some believe test centuries against India are easy when it's a dead rubber???

Well if there is any truth to that, I'm sure there are some players who would try hard as it's test cricket for your country. Give Prithvi Shaw a go.

[SLA]

has scored runs anywhere and everywhere he has played.

Point of Order: He averages 27 in New Zealand and 31 in South Africa

[alexhilly1492]

Point of Order: He averages 27 in New Zealand and 31 in South Africa

so what, not everyone can average 50+ the world over

he is the 5th highest run scorer of all time..

a batsman's job is to score runs... he is the 5th best ever at that

mate, come back to us when you have over 12000 test runs, 4 ashes wins and 33 hundreds

cook is a legend. end of.

[Rob580]

I really like this Cook chap.

And just because he may not be the best player to have ever walked the earth, doesn't mean we can't celebrate his achievements.

Here's to Cookie. Either an England great, or a big jawed nudger who isn't worth a rub (Dependant on your opinion) the game will be poorer for your retirement. 

[edge]

Not forgetting Cook's test bowling average of 7. GOAT.

[smilley792]

Flat pitch, easy to bat on in this dead rubber..........


Kohli outclassing root on this dead pitch to......

[ppccopener]

I really like this Cook chap.

And just because he may not be the best player to have ever walked the earth, doesn't mean we can't celebrate his achievements.

Here's to Cookie. Either an England great, or a big jawed nudger who isn't worth a rub (Dependant on your opinion) the game will be poorer for your retirement. 

well said.  and if he can do it with 'only 4 shots' there's hope for us all who just have the three 

[InternalTraining]

^ Hahahahahahha

[Big Mac]

What the hell was that Kohli, he's already thinking of the flight home. That ball wouldn't have got me out for crying out loud

[Seniorplayer]

Jimmy equals McGraths wicket total

[WalkingWicket37]

India have manage 2 runs and are already 3 down (with Kohli gone for a duck) on this flat track...

[Mister Le Chiffre]

DelusionS on here are comedy gold. When you play for a side that more Test matches annually than any other country you get these disparities in the statistical analysis. Cook was afforded the opportunity to rack up the Test matches so his boosted his figures to an amount surpassing his true talent/ability. It's exactly the same for Anderson and Broad whom aren't in the same ballpark as McGrath yet will both surpass the Australian great.

[Mattsky]

Is that bait...?
McGrath was brilliantly metronomic with line and length.
Anderson is technically way ahead with what he can do with the ball.
Damn. I bit.