Alastair Cook has expressed his feeling of being 'privileged' upon being inducted into the International Cricket Council Hall of Fame, becoming the 31st England Test cricketer to join this prestigious list. This esteemed group includes legendary names such as WG Grace, Shane Warne, Brian Lara, Ian Botham, and Viv Richards. The last England player to be inducted before Cook was former England women's captain Charlotte Edwards in 2022, while Bob Willis, the hero of England's 1981 Ashes victory at Headingley, was honored posthumously in 2021 alongside Ted Dexter, the former Test captain and chairman of selectors.
The most recent English cricketer to receive this accolade, based on the date of their last Test match, was Cook's mentor Graham Gooch. Before the ICC announcement, Cook paid homage to Gooch, his fellow Essex and England opener: 'Graham was a mentor, friend, coach—he did everything for me. We never played in the same team, thankfully, as he was obviously a far better player than me!' Both Cook and Gooch reached the pinnacle of England's Test batting despite their contrasting styles. Cook was famous for his ability to remain composed even in the most intense conditions, exemplified by his 2015 innings of 263 runs off 528 balls against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, which became the third-longest Test innings on record.
Gooch, on the other hand, was known for his powerful batting and could dominate the most formidable Test attacks of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. His second-innings 154 not out against the West Indies in 1991 at Headingley is often cited as a pinnacle of English batting. Recently, both men have seen their batting records challenged by England's current Test team. Cook's records of 33 Test centuries and 12,472 runs were surpassed by Joe Root, and Harry Brook became the first English player to hit a triple century since Gooch's 333 against India in 1990.
Cook mentioned calling Root after he surpassed his record as England's leading Test run scorer: 'I watched the moment and rang him after the play. I couldn't think of the right words to write in a text message, so I thought, 'I'll just ring him, see what he was up to and to make sure he had a beer in his hand.' I think he did.' Root now ranks fifth on the all-time Test scorers list, with only Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, and Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him. Cook believes Root has the potential to reach 16,000 Test runs, a feat yet to be achieved.
Reflecting on his career, Cook stated: 'I left no stone unturned... every time I wore the England shirt, I tried my best to be as good as I could be.' Although he may no longer be England's top player, Cook's place in history and the Hall of Fame is secure.
