Take a bow Alastair Cook !!

A NEWS flash pops up on your screen and for a moment you are taken aback. A sudden realization dawns and what was an impending withdrawal  by a  genius till now is a reality. Alastair Cook is moving ON.

The exit is coming with mixed feelings as it has come at a time when loyalties are truly Indian and Cook being supportive in India's cause by loosing his wicket quickly. However as an ardent Cook fan we always wanted him to do well and the fact of the matter is, we won’t see that cool head in the playing eleven of English Team ever again.

Cook, you should not have chosen India as your parting team. Was it coincidence or you wanted to end a glittering career against the same team which gave you, your biggest launch pad at Nagpur where you mastered Indian bowling to register one of the finest centuries on debut. As a teenage debutant, when we first saw Cook, it was bit surprising. For a change a non-blonde British opened the innings for England and looked so fresh in his approach. Soon though, we realized that we have got a typical Khaddooss British opening batsman who can part with any of his fan following, money spinning ODI career but would never give up his precious wicket.

It was quick road to greatness for Cook being a special talent nurtured by legendary Graham Gooch. However it needs few setbacks for transition from greatness to legendary and Cookie realized it as well. If it was not for Andrew Strauss’s belief in young rookie first as a captain and later as England Director of Cricket,Cookie would have remained an underachiever. Cook didn’t look back and records tumbled as he went on to get a legendary status in 2011 Ashes series amassing 766 runs in lopsided dominance over Kangaroos and in the next year scoring almost a tripe century faltering at 294 against the Indians. 

England in long time had not been bestowed by talent like Cook which made maestro Sir Geoffrey Boycott predicting 50 Test centuries and 15000 Test runs for him. Being truly Sachiniistic, such a reality scared the loyal fans wondering whether GOD could ever be replaced. It was not to be ! and even after giving up captaincy to regain the purple patch, age and form didn't go hand in hand and once an invincible looked like appall shadow of himself.

Cook deserved opportunities and his bat needed one more shine Alas ! And we are here to applaud one of the greatest left hander to grace the game. The cricketing world am sure would miss the genius of Cook and we as fans would have no option but to see old archives of Alastair Cook to revive the memories.

Let’s pray for Cook to come good one last time but at the same time let the luck which deserted him for a long time be transferred to his team mates in the final test of the series and we see some India Shining moment and silver lining in Cook’s career when the sun is setting for him.

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P.S. The blog is written as a mark of tribute to one of the greatest left handers to grace the game of cricket and the views are personal opinion of the blogger.

-          Jayawant