Alastair Cook ‘privileged’ to join game’s greats in ICC Hall of Fame

By Tom Bennett

Cook has been announced as one of the 2024 inductees into the ICC Hall of Fame, earning that accolade due to his extraordinary returns both as an opening batter and captain of England.

The left-handed opener accumulated mountains of runs in his career, particularly excelling in the Test format, where he scored 12,472 runs and hit 33 centuries – both England records at the time.

Six years after stepping away from the Test game, Cook has accepted the invitation to the ICC Hall of Fame, and told a round-table of journalists that he is totally honoured to be in such esteemed company.

“It was a surprise, and certainly just when you read the list of people that you're joining, it's a great list to have joined. I feel very privileged," Cook said.

Alastair Cook inducted in ICC Hall of Fame:

Despite his arrival in the Hall of Fame, Cook remains visibly uncomfortable when confronted with questions about his own greatness; still not fully happy to sit with his deserved status as a legend of the game.

“Ultimately, it's never me for me to define what I will be remembered for, or my legacy, whatever that will be," he said.

“Every time I pulled on the English shirt, I tried my best to be as good as I could be. I had the best 20 years playing cricket.

“I was very lucky to stay injury-free, meet some great people, share some great highs, and some great lows, which I think are important as well, and make memories which I'll never forget.”

It’s not just Sir Alastair, but also his own children, including 10-year-old daughter Elsie, who are unclear of his own greatness.

“Elsie says I'm not quite as good as a fair few players now, but I think deep down they kind of know that I did play a little bit,” Cook joked.

“When this award came up, I thought it was a great opportunity to, firstly get off a very wet farm, but also to kind of share something with the kids, who actually will remember it.

“I thought that was quite important. And obviously they get a few days off school too… I think that's probably their most important thing, rather than their dad picking up some kind of award.”

Alastair Cook: A born leader with superb mental toughness

Cook’s modesty belies the fact that he produced two of the most iconic series performances ever seen by an overseas batter in Test cricket.

He inspired England to victory in Australia in 2010/11, scoring a phenomenal 766 runs to finish as Player of the Series in England’s only away Ashes win in the past 37 years.

And he was both top-scorer and captain when England won the 2012 Test series in India, scoring three centuries and amassing 562 runs. That England win under his leadership remains the last victory by a touring Test team in India.

“The difference for me were those two big series on a personal batting level,” Cook said. The Australian series and then the India series in 2012, where I kind of probably batted at a level which I didn't bat at consistently very often, but also a level which kind of surprised myself.

“That gave me confidence that I did belong at the top end of international cricket for a period of time.

“When I used to walk out to bat for England as a player, there are so many things going through your mind. The doubts, the excitement, you go through all kinds of range of emotions. But in the back of it is that little bit of belief that you have done it before, and you've done it against the best bowlers, and you've been able to dominate the best bowlers.

“Now certainly I didn't dominate in a Harry Brook style or Matthew Hayden style, but just in my way.”

Cook's final Test against India at The Oval in 2018 // Getty Images

One of the characteristics of Cook’s career was his consistent returns across the different surfaces of the world, with the left-hander finishing his career with strong averages in pacy, swinging and spinning conditions.

But Cook says his success in that area was more down to a determination to minimise his weaknesses, rather than there being any key ingredients to his success.

“I can't really understand why I did. I suppose my playing of spin was probably my weaker area in terms of dominating, but I found a method of surviving and functioning on those kind of wickets," Cook added.

“As an English batter growing up, you're used to the moving ball. I suppose my ability to play fast-pitch bowling on the back foot at the period of time when DRS wasn't involved … that kind of did suit my game.

“Ultimately, I just found a way of scoring runs, I suppose, in all conditions, which kind of kept me in the side.”

Cook played on for five seasons with English County side Essex following his international retirement – a period he now looks back on with huge satisfaction.

And yet his final Test appearance, now six years ago, remains one of the great ways to bow out, with Cook ending his career with a Test century against India at The Oval in 2018.

“It was a sad moment, in one sense, but also a moment I kind of knew had to happen. It was a strange week, because the week felt kind of all about myself… and everyone who knows me, knows I don't like that. I'm never the one right at the front, not the centre of attention," he said.

“A load of my friends and family were there on that day. I remember it was day three, I think, when I scored the 100. But, you know, it couldn't have ended any better.

“That’s a great way to finish, a great mental stop.

“I should also talk about the next five years with Essex, which I look back at now with just such fond memories.

“I had another five years with a different team, experiencing different things. I’m forever grateful to Anthony McGrath and the Essex lads for that experience I had, which was just so different to what I was used to and I thoroughly enjoyed.”

Alastair Cook is one of three new inductees to the ICC Hall of Fame, with the era-defining pair of Indian spinner Neetu David and South Africa, batter AB de Villiers joining him in this of the game’s greats.

Three greats inducted in ICC Hall of Fame: