The captain of the England Test team and former ODI captain Alastair Cook has become the youngest player to score 10 000 Test runs. His partnership with Alex Hales produced 28 runs in the first 15 overs of the match.
31-year-old Cook scored 47 not out as England won the Test by nine wickets against Sri Lanka at the Chester-le-Street Cricket Ground.
Youngest players to reach 10 000 Test runs
- Alastair Cook (31 years) – 10 042 Test runs – 2016
- Sachin Tendulkar (31 years) – 15 921 Test runs – 2013
- Jacques Kallis (33 years) – 13 289 Test runs – 2013
- Ricky Ponting (33 years) – 13 378 Test runs – 2012
- Mahela Jayawardene (34 years) – 11 814 Test runs – 2014
Cook said reaching 10 000 Test runs was one of his goals. The milestone drove him personally and it’s a very special moment for him. England coach Trevor Harley Bayliss, applauded Cook as a phenomenal batsman.
England Captain Alastair Cook beat former England captain’s score
To become England’s leading run-scorer, Cook beat Graham Gooch’s score of 8 900 Test runs at Headingley, West Yorkshire. It was his 128th Test of his career which has seen him produce 28 Test hundreds, also a record for becoming the first Englishman to reach the milestone.
Back in 2006 when he makes his debut, he scored a century against India, but he was ruled out of the next match due to illness. Ever since he never missed any Test match. Cook was appointed as captain following Andrew John Strauss’ retirement in 2012. He led the team to Ashes series victories against Australia in 2013 and 2015.
