MATTHEW LUDDINGTON looks back at the senior career of England's all-time leading Test run-scorer, from his maiden first-class hundred to his fairytale farewell at the Kia Oval in 2018...
Alastair Cook has brought the curtain down on his 20-year career lasting 562 senior matches after confirming his retirement from cricket aged 38.
The former England captain, his country's leading run-scorer in Test cricket, enjoyed a remarkable career as one of the finest opening batters of his generation.
MATTHEW LUDDINGTON looks back on some of the highlights of Cook's rise to the top for club and country...
127 v Leicestershire, 2004 - maiden first-class century
Cook represented Essex's second XI aged just 15, and his rapid ascent through the ranks under the stewardship of Keith Fletcher caught the attention of cricket enthusiasts. The defining moment arrived on September 3, 2003, when he made his senior debut against Nottinghamshire.
He captained England at the Under-19 World Cup during the winter and scored two impressive centuries, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer Shikhar Dhawan.
On May 21, 2004, he crafted his maiden first-class century against Leicestershire, validating the talent first spotting while at Bedford School. Cook showed exceptional organisation, effortless timing, and prowess in his outstanding innings of 126.
1,466 runs at 52.35, 2005 - breakthrough first-class season
Cook's meteoric rise came to the fore during the 2005 season. He began the year with a brilliant 120 and an impressive 97 while representing the MCC against the County Championship holders Warwickshire.
Subsequently, he featured in every first-class match for Essex, displaying his remarkable consistency by amassing four centuries and averaging 48 in the Championship, and helping the club clinch the Totesport League.
A glorious 2005 season laid the platform for an England call-up (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
214 v Australia, 2005 - Double hundred serves notice
Ahead of the fifth Ashes Test at the Kia Oval, Cook gave Australia an insight into what to expect in the years to come by crushing a double hundred - 214 in 238 balls - as Essex put the tourists to the sword at Chelmsford
Bruised by England at Trent Bridge, an attack of Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Shaun Tait and Michael Kasprowicz shipped 502 runs in a single day, with Cook and Ravi Bopara (135) laying siege.
There was already plenty of excitement around the left-hander, who was named Young Player of the Year by the Cricket Writers' Club in August and six months later the Gloucester native would be making his Test debut in Nagpur. It went pretty well after that.
104* v India, 2006 - Debut Test century
Cook made his England Test bow aged just 21 in Nagpur against India after receiving a late call-up due to injury to Michael Vaughan, while Marcus Trescothick was suffering from a stress-related illness. Thrust into a pressure situation, Cook displayed grit, scoring 60 in the first innings, before striking a classy unbeaten 104 in the second.
Despite his age and stage, Cook’s maturity shone through as he played to his strengths and maintained a composed temperament throughout his innings.
105 v Pakistan, 2006 - Maiden Test century at Lord's
When Trescothick returned in the summer, Cook was shifted to No.3 for England and wasted no time making a significant impact. In his very first Test on home soil at Lord's against Sri Lanka, he came tantalisingly close to scoring a century, falling just 11 short.
Just two months later, he made amends with a century, scoring a determined 105 off 279 balls against Pakistan at the self-styled home of cricket. Far from his fluent best, he was dropped on three occasions but at just 21, he etched his name onto the prestigious Lord's honours board.
Celebration time for Cook at Lord's (ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
766 runs at 127.66, 2010/11 - Awesome Ashes
As England secured their first Ashes victory in Australia in 24 years in 2010/11, much of the credit belonged to Cook's remarkable performance. He amassed a staggering total of runs, scoring three centuries and two half-centuries, and Australia had no answer.
Cook’s unbeaten 235 at the Gabba during the opening Test was a pivotal match-saving moment. He remained resolute and impervious throughout the series, his unwavering seeing him spend a over 35 hours at the crease as England made history.
294 v India, 2011 - England's best Test score for 21 years
Cook achieved his career-high score of 294 against India in August 2011, batting for nearly 13 hours without error. Throughout this marathon innings, Cook showcased his ability to score freely all over the ground, with a particular penchant for shots through the covers and mid-wicket.
His dominance over the India bowlers was evident, and his unwavering concentration was a testament to his mental fortitude. He recorded the sixth-highest individual score in English Test cricket history and the highest since Graham Gooch's 333 at Lord's against the same opponent in 1990.
A score of 294 against India was England's sixth-best in Tests (ANDREW YATES/AFP via Getty Images)
2-1 Test series win in Inda, 2012/13 - First in 27 years
In August 2012, Cook assumed the role of England's Test permanent cricket captain and faced a challenging task in India, where victory had not been tasted in 28 years. He led by example, scoring three centuries in the first three Tests. His captaincy was savvy, and he orchestrated a remarkable 2-1 series triumph for the tourists.
In response to losing the opening game, Cook included Monty Panesar in the team, a move that bore fruit as the spinner went on to claim 17 crucial wickets. The partnership of Panesar and Graeme Swann in the bowling department proved to be a devastating combination and key to another dose of history.
Ashes 2013 and 2015 - successive home Test series wins over Australia
Cook demonstrated exceptional leadership as he guided England to a commanding 3-0 series triumph in his debut Ashes series as captain in 2013.
However, he subsequently faced the most challenging phase of his career. England endured a humbling whitewash in Australia, and the tumultuous period - Andy Flower resigned as head coach and Kevin Pietersen was dumped out of the side - was further compounded by a home defeat to Sri Lanka in 2014.
But Cook found redemption by steering England to a resounding Ashes series victory in 2015. His leadership style underwent a transformation, becoming more relaxed, guiding a new generation of players, including the likes of Joe Root, Mark Wood, Jos Buttler, and Ben Stokes, to success.
Cook celebrates Ashes success in 2015 (GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
263 v Pakistan, 2015 - Cook's Abu Dhabi marathon
Cook's exceptional ability to consistently score runs around the world, particularly in Asia, where he amassed 2,710 runs of his Test runs, is a tribute to his concentration and unwavering resilience.
In October 2015, Cook made an astonishing 263 in Abu Dhabi against Pakistan. During this marathon innings, he batted for nearly 14 hours, the third-longest Test innings of all time.
147 v India, 2018 - Fairytale finish at the Kia Oval
In 2018, at the age of 33, Cook opted to retire from international cricket. He orchestrated a storybook ending to his Test cricket career by crafting a century in his final innings, an impressive 147 against India at the Kia Oval.
This remarkable achievement elevated him to fifth place on the all-time Test runscorers list, surpassing the legendary Kumar Sangakkara.
Over the course of 161 Tests, Cook amassed a staggering total of 12,472 runs - making him unquestionably one of the greatest batters to ever represent England.
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