“Alastair Cook” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by theglobalpanorama
After Alastair Cook, the leading runscorer for England’s Test cricket team, announced his retirement from international play, a new opener is necessary.
Cook’s announcement came just before the concluding summer Test against India, which was effectively meaningless as Trevor Bayliss’ squad had already secured a 3-1 series victory, and there are still 11 months remaining before the Ashes are contested.
The challenge of replacing a player of Cook’s caliber, who has amassed over 12,000 Test runs, is significant for England. Captain Joe Root along with coach Bayliss will utilize the two overseas series this winter—first in Sri Lanka in November, followed by the West Indies in the New Year—to experiment with new opening partnerships.
Australia’s position as betting favorites for the 2019 Ashes series has only been bolstered by Cook’s retirement. They appear more likely to retain the urn according to the outright cricket betting available at bet365, with England shifting to odds of 13/8 and a draw in the five Tests rated at 5/1.
How the ECB selectors approach replacing Cook remains to be seen. Here are five players they might consider as they look to fill his significant batting shoes:
Jonny Bairstow
Since Yorkshire’s Bairstow opens in white-ball cricket, why not give him the opportunity in the Test team? Although Jos Buttler, another wicketkeeper-batsman, is still in the red-ball XI, there’s plenty of firepower in the middle order to justify this decision.
Moeen Ali
An alternative strategy could involve giving all-rounder Ali another opportunity to bat first. He performed admirably with his spin bowling against India in the fourth Test recently, but struggled to deliver when he was last promoted in the batting order against arch-rivals and neighbors Pakistan. However, a more seasoned Ali may not find it as difficult now that he has reclaimed his place.
Mark Stoneman
Surrey’s Stoneman stands as perhaps the most reliable opener within and around the England setup, having recorded five scores between 50 and 60 in Tests. He presents a dependable, if not particularly flashy, option to succeed Cook, which might be precisely what’s required to maintain effectiveness in this format.
Rory Burns
Staying with Surrey, their uncapped captain Burns is nearing 1000 County Championship runs in Division One for the current season. If form is a determining factor in player selection, the inclusion of teammate Ollie Pope in the squad for the fifth Test against India hints that such criteria are being considered, meaning Burns certainly is a candidate for an international call-up in the near future.
Keaton Jennings
Lancashire opener Jennings, who was born in South Africa, batted alongside Cook as England secured their series victory against India and is already the holder of a Test century. The only downside is that this achievement dates back to his debut in 2016, and he has only recorded one score over 50 since then. Nevertheless, despite less than impressive performances in this recent series, Jennings will still be in contention to maintain his position as an opener.
