Captain Cook reaches another milestone

A leading edge through cover from the first ball of the fifth Test against India brought England captain Alastair Cook two runs and took his Test tally to 11,000.

Cook is the first Englishman to reach the milestone having been the first to surpass the 9,000 and 10,000-run barrier for the Three Lions.

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The 31-year-old sits in 10th place on the list of all-time leading run-scorers in Test cricket, sandwiched between two inspiring Australia captains in Allan Border (11,174 runs) and Steve Waugh (10,927).

India great Sachin Tendulkar still tops the list with 15,921 runs from a whopping 200 Tests, with Australia’s Ricky Ponting (13,378) and South Africa allrounder Jacques Kallis (13,289) rounding out the podium.

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Playing his 140th Test Cook boasts more matches, more runs, more centuries (30) than any other Englishman and has also been involved in the most wins (57) for his country.

However Cook’s career has hit a crossroad.

Having surrendered the Test series against India 3-0 still with one match left to play, Cook’s captaincy has again come under fire.

While his output and experience with the bat is still very much needed in a transitioning England side, Cook said he hadn’t made up his mind on his future but that talented batsman Joe Root has what it takes to be his successor.

"I think Joe Root is ready to captain England,” Cook said.

“He's ready because he's a clued-up guy, he's got the respect of everyone in the changing room.

"He hasn't got much captaincy experience but that doesn't mean he can't be a very good captain."

Former England captain Nasser Hussain says Cook should stay on as skipper if the hunger is still there.

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"If he still feels the same way he did when he started, if every defeat hurts him as much now as it did then, I believe he should carry on," Hussain wrote in the Daily Mail.

"But if any part of him feels as if he's taking the job for granted, then he should have a serious think about handing it over to Joe Root.

“It's not a job you do lightly." 

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