Cook: 10 000 runs is a massive milestone
Alastair Cook is on the brink of going where no other English player has ever gone, to 10 000 Test runs, and he knows it is a massive milestone in a batsman's career.
The England Test captain is just 36 runs shy of the landmark and will be confident of getting it when the first Test of the English summer gets under way on 19 May against Sri Lanka at Headingley.
Only 11 other players in the history of the game have reached the magical figure in Tests while the closest any Englishman has come is Cook's mentor Graham Gooch, who retired from Test cricket at the age of 41 with 8 900 runs.
Cook said: "Milestones are a weird thing because when you're on 4000 runs you're desperate to get 5000 and then you want 6000. But then you realise when you're there it's not quite as important as you thought before.
"But 10 000 is a massive milestone for any batsman because you can't really argue with a bloke who's scored 10 000 runs.
"No matter which way you've gone about it, that's a lot of runs, in a lot of different conditions and being tested for a long period of time. So it'll be a nice milestone when it comes, but I've got to get the 36 first."
Sri Lanka will play England in three Tests, five ODIs and one T20I on a two- moth tour to the UK.
Latest
-
NewsBen Stokes hails ‘mind-blowing’ achievement from England in Pakistan
England took five wickets in the final session to secure victory.
-
NewsJames Anderson: Test win over Pakistan one of the best I’ve been involved in
England have rarely had to work harder to claim a result than over the past five days.
-
News‘A masterclass’ – Former England captains hail Ben Stokes after Pakistan opener
Stokes once again lived up to his ultra-aggressive ideals as he found a way to force an unlikely result.
-
NewsAggressive England clinch thrilling first-Test win over Pakistan
Ben Stokes’ bold captaincy paid off as the tourists narrowly beat the setting sun in Rawalpindi.
-
NewsEngland toil away with little reward as Pakistan edge closer to Test victory
Pakistan required just 86 more runs to win with five wickets remaining going into the final session.
-
NewsPakistan turn up pressure on final morning of first England Test
Although they reached the break at 169 for three in their second innings, the hosts’ single loss was the key wicket of Imam-ul-Haq.
-
NewsLiam Livingstone to miss rest of Pakistan tour with knee injury
Livingstone will return to the UK on Tuesday.
-
NewsEngland roar to 142-run win in first ODI of white-ball tour of the Caribbean
Nat Sciver marked her return to cricket by scoring 90 while Danni Wyatt celebrated her 100th ODI cap with 68.
-
NewsNo fear, says England’s Paul Collingwood ahead of a thrilling final day’s action
The assistant coach says the tourists are not scared of losing the first Test to Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
-
NewsDaring declaration sets up thrilling final day of Test action in Rawalpindi
Pakistan need 263 more runs to defeat England, with eight wickets remaining.