Cook 'as good as anyone, barring Bradman' - McCullum

[rkt.india]

Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand captain, has heaped the ultimate praise on his opposite number Alastair Cook saying, on current form, he is as good as anyone who has played after Donald Bradman. Cook, who scored his 24th Test hundred in Dunedin, laughed off the shock comparison. The century at University Oval was Cook's fourth hundred in five overseas Tests during the 2012-13 season, following a monumental series against India. But while his feats have rightly been acknowledged as putting him on the path to being labelled a great, it is rare to be uttered in the same sentence as Bradman who ended his career with the immortal average of 99.94. The next best on the list is Graeme Pollock (60.97), then George Headley (60.83). The highest average for a current player is Kumar Sangakkara's at 56.54. McCullum, though, did not hold back his praise after being asked a question about how New Zealand planned to quell Cook's run-scoring feats. "He's obviously a genius batsman, his record is testament to that," McCullum said. "Where he is at in his career at the moment, he's as good as anyone who has played the game, probably barring Bradman." Cook's response, after being taken aback by the comparison, was: "It's very nice of him to say that. I'm not quite sure where he's got that from." There was also plenty of mutual respect as Cook acknowledged McCullum's recent form. The New Zealand captain has scored five half-centuries in seven innings across all formats against England, including 74 off 59 balls in Dunedin. "You could talk about his genius batting. The way he hits the ball sometimes," Cook said. Cook's current Test average of 49.60 places him 40th on the averages list, currently sat between Inzamam-ul-Haq and Denis Compton. Current contemporaries above him include AB de Villiers, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Younis Khan, Michael Clarke, Jacques Kallis and Sachin Tendulkar. Purely as a comparison, if you take the point from after last year's World Twenty20 when Test cricket resumed, Cook's average of 76.44 places him third, behind Cheteshwar Pujara and Clarke among batsmen who have played at least five innings. Cook, though, remains modest about his achievements. "You never quite feel on top of the game," he said. "What was pleasing for me was, after a few starts in the one-dayers here and in India, but [with] no match-winning score, I managed to get that bigger one in the first Test. I seemed to hit the ball okay." A modest oulook from a man compared to the immortal Bradman.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/new-zealand-v-england-2013/content/current/story/624787.html

[Junyfan]

he is consistent & effecient ,no doubt

[indiaregulator]

I wish Cook was more arrogant :( Would probably improve his batting.

[The Outsider]

Sehwag averages as much as Cook with a blistering strike rate to boot.

[putrevus]

Cook has worked out his batting to perfection, he has become so consistent for player with so limited repertoire of strokes. He may not be most elegant batsman but he sure is one of the most determined batsman.His patience to build an innings is just amazing. We have to wait and see how his odi batting affects his test batting now that he has become ODI captain. But hats off to him for becoming this great.

[SLICKR392]

Sehwag averages as much as Cook with a blistering strike rate to boot.

+ Before people starts showing up Sehwag's stats. They should be looking into Cook's as well. He has struggled against good pace attacks. Took on the worst Aussie attack in the past 2 decades during the Ashes and scored plenty. Since then he averaged...

32 against SA 26 against Pak in UAE 52 against SL with 1 50+ score 44 against WI with 1 50+ score

By no means he is a bad player in fact a very good player but overrated IMHO. Would love to see how he does against the current Aussie attack in helpful conditions.

[Sean Bradley]

You cant compare cook & sehwag, one's a dasher other's a grinder. But very effective in their own ways, but boy o boy, cook seems to be batting on a different planet these days, doesnt he? For me he's the most likeable 'Englishman'. :hatsoff:

[putrevus]

+ Before people starts showing up Sehwag's stats. They should be looking into Cook's as well. He has struggled against good pace attacks. Took on the worst Aussie attack in the past 2 decades during the Ashes and scored plenty. Since then he averaged... By no means he is a bad player in fact a very good player but overrated IMHO. Would love to see how he does against the current Aussie attack in helpful conditions.

Didn't our batsmen come up so short against same Hilfenhaus, Siddle and co, which Cook blunted them to death. So when Cook faces the same attack, they becomes all time worst.

[gakgupta]

Right now; he is the guy in form. No doubt he scored runs all round the world. But have to see how he manages once he is out of form.

[Crookbond]

Didn't our batsmen come up so short against same Hilfenhaus, Siddle and co, which Cook blunted them to death. So when Cook faces the same attack, they becomes all time worst.

No, apparently when our team faces an attack of Hilfenaus, Siddle and co. it became the all time best!

[Raghav_12]

Current contemporaries above him include AB de Villiers, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Younis Khan, Michael Clarke, Jacques Kallis and Sachin Tendulkar

Why didn't they include SriLankan duo in this list. Looks like many others, Cricinfo also doesn't take their averages seriously.:haha:

[don_corleone840]

cook is my favourite player after sachin and dhoni.He is the most humble person i have seen among foreign players.QmUw9dDa1ys reminds me of him

[NareshK]

The way he batted against spinners in India in the last series was fantastic, especially for someone who comes from outside SC. Only Hayden, Andy Flower, Amla batted better than him in India in recent memory.

[GoldenSun]

I think Cook is on his way to becoming one of the greats of the game. My only wish is that he does not become better than Sachin(come on, what do you expect? Im an Indian fan) :)...

[JaFanatic]

cook is my favourite player after sachin and dhoni.He is the most humble person i have seen among foreign players.QmUw9dDa1ys reminds me of him

thanx for the video bro :nice:

[vamos_rafa]

In the current scenario top 3 batters would be Cook,Clarke and Amla. And yes he's as good as the other 2. Rest it's still a far call as for the ATG status. Outy,I am pretty sure he would do better than Sehwag till his career ends.:winky:

[GoldenSun]

In the current scenario top 3 batters would be Cook,Clarke and Amla. And yes he's as good as the other 2. Rest it's still a far call as for the ATG status. Outy,I am pretty sure he would do better than Sehwag till his career ends.:winky:

Agreed. He somehow transformed himself into Hall Of Fame mode during the last Ashes series. He has looked superhuman ever since.

[NareshK]

In the current scenario top 3 batters would be Cook,Clarke and Amla. And yes he's as good as the other 2. Rest it's still a far call as for the ATG status. Outy,I am pretty sure he would do better than Sehwag till his career ends.:winky:

Still a long way to go before he is considered a great batsman. At the moment, he is certainly one of the best in the world.

[vamos_rafa]

Still a long way to go before he is considered a great batsman. At the moment' date=' he is certainly one of the best in the world.[/quote'] That's what I said!

[vamos_rafa]

Agreed. He somehow transformed himself into Hall Of Fame mode during the last Ashes series. He has looked superhuman ever since.

Yes. He scores huge runs does not he? Ashes and then Indian tour. Those are series winning efforts.