Will Alastair Cook go on to surpass Tendulkar's test run tally?

[OverratedSanity]

Cook's chances are basically the same as they were in 2011, atleast for me. He does have a chance but a lot of things need to go right, and he probably needs another couple of stretches like in 2012 where he piled on hundreds for fun.

 

[Zinzan]

Nah, I'd say less than 2011. The 2 year period 2013-2014 in which he averaged just 32 in 22 test matches set him back a decent amount for mine.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Nah, I'd say less than 2011. The 2 year period 2013-2014 in which he averaged just 32 in 22 test matches set him back a decent amount for mine.

I just knew a slump would come, as it does for every batsman, so I'd factored that in already (didn't know it would come that soon after 2012 though). Many just foolishly assumed he'd keep racking them up for years on end. Him going through a slump changed nothing for me, it was always going to happen. If he has another lull like that though, he'll fall short.

 

[GIMH]

We'd need to play more away Tests than we have in the last two years for it to happen. His away record is outstanding

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Tendulkar averaged 79.6 runs per test.

Cook is averaging 78 runs per test.

If Cook plays enough tests, especially more in India where he averages over 60 and Bangladesh at over 100, he should take the record. Cook is a good enough batsmen if he has a long career to get the run scoring record. Plays into his 40s, he will set a higher benchmark. The biggest hurdler Cook faces is being captain. Captains can get sacked (after bad performances) or retired (to make way for a new captain) out of the team, where a player could otherwise continue playing.

I also find the most test centuries record interesting for a contest as well.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

If Cook was to play until he was a similar age as Tendulkar was when he retired he will break the record as he will be closer to 250 tests than 200 by then.

 

[OverratedSanity]

These are all such massive if's though.

 

[91Jmay]

I don't think he will, will be 1500 odd short I'd say. Which is still some career, especially for a bloke who isn't the natural talent of SRT, Ponting, Lara etc.

 

[Cabinet96]

Tendulkar averaged 79.6 runs per test.

Cook is averaging 78 runs per test.

If Cook plays enough tests, especially more in India where he averages over 60 and Bangladesh at over 100, he should take the record. Cook is a good enough batsmen if he has a long career to get the run scoring record. Plays into his 40s, he will set a higher benchmark. The biggest hurdler Cook faces is being captain. Captains can get sacked (after bad performances) or retired (to make way for a new captain) out of the team, where a player could otherwise continue playing.

I also find the most test centuries record interesting for a contest as well.

He's got seven in India and Bangladesh in late 2016. Needs to plunder the runs then.

 

[Cabinet96]

But yeah, the biggest thing he's got going for him is that he plays test matches more frequently than anyone else in history. Will have got 125 under his belt by the time he's been an international cricketer for 10 years: Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Doubt anyone has ever played that many in 10 years before.

 

[Zinzan]

These are all such massive if's though.

Sure, but the only relevant 'if' is whether Cook scores those further 6699 runs or not. And to provide context, he'll need to move ahead of Lara in 8th place in the below list of 'runs scorers past the age of 30' to achieve it (granted Cook is some 200 days past.).

I still think it's more unlikely than not, but it's not exactly beyond the realms either...

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The thing is though he may well play more tests than all those on that list and again almost do it by default.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Probably retire mid 30's. Might even be in the commentary box for the next home Ashes series.

 

[harsh.ag]

His biggest hurdle is going to be ambition imo. Doesn't really seem like he cares about this milestone. The only way it's going to happen is if things go very well for him, form wise and injury wise, and he just ends up playing that many tests that it's inevitable.

 

[91Jmay]

His biggest hurdle is going to be ambition imo. Doesn't really seem like he cares about this milestone. The only way it's going to happen is if things go very well for him, form wise and injury wise, and he just ends up playing that many tests that it's inevitable.

Yeah would agree with this, think he will look to retire at end of next home Ashes if things go well.

 

[Cabinet96]

Why do you think that?

 

[Contra]

England are scheduled to play 21 tests till CT 2017, more specifically till end of 2016. Don't think he will make it though, he's more of a concentration player than anything else, and age will reduce his concentration levels over a period of time, will be a little bit of a Rahul Dravid type decline imo, with the odd good series/knocks.

 

[sledger]

Let's face it, if someone like Tendulkar can get that many runs, there's no reason why Cook can't.

 

[91Jmay]

Why do you think that?

Players as a general rule like to finish after notable series/tournaments, Cook not playing ODI cricket means that the Ashes is big one and just a hunch but he'd like to go out after home one.

 

[The Sean]

I'm not convinced he'll get there myself, but it seems a little harsh to be pre-emptively qualifying Cook's hypothetical achievement by noting how many Tests he will need to have played and how much more cricket he'll have needed to take the record. Virtually every batsman in history who has claimed the aggregate record has done so at least in part due to playing more Tests than the blokes who came before him.