Alastair Cook wants to thank Jasprit Bumrah for saving him a lot of heartaches

Alastair Cook was batting on 96, in his final Test inning, the 19,000 odd people present at The Oval were on the edge of their seats and millions across the world hoped that he would get a triple-figure score. He played the ball for a single and was happy to move one run closer to his 33rd century. India’s Jasprit Bumrah had other plans, he wanted to run Joe Root out and had a shy at the stumps. Root was safely in and it rather went for an overthrow boundary.

Cook couldn’t have asked for more, he was gifted four extra runs in the nervous nineties and he got to his hundred. It all appeared as if was scripted in a fairytale story for the perfect ending. His team-mates, the opponents, crowd as well as the commentators, everyone stood and applauded his magnificent feat. After the end of the day when the legendary English batter was out there interacting with the media, he said he would want to thank Bumrah for saving him the “heartache” with that overthrow.

“I remember cutting it for 97 thinking that’s three more to go. Just as he (Bumrah) let it go I thought, hang on a minute – he’s launched that pretty hard’. As soon as I saw Ravi (Jadeja) not anywhere near it I thought to hang on a minute hang on a minute’.

“Look – at (the overthrow) saved me a lot of heartaches. He’s (Bumrah) also caused me a lot of heartache in this series. For him to then give me that little moment there, I’ll thank him for a while,” said Cook.

On celebrating the hundred and Root’s reaction

“Then obviously it erupted. Joe (Root) didn’t say anything. He was just saying wow. He was just smiling. I think he was telling me to better take it in. The ovation was just incredible. That’s probably the only one I’ve really taken in and thought – wow’. Then obviously the last 10-minutes as well today was special,” he added.

The reception from the crowd

“I can’t really describe the emotions I have felt in the last few days. It’s just been the most surreal four days of my life really. For all that to happen today, and every reception I’ve had over the last four days, it’s just been incredible. Even that last couple of overs, when the whole crowd was singing my ‘Barmy Army’ song, it was incredibly special,” said Cook.

“From a purely selfish point of view, I couldn’t have asked for a better week. But there have been bigger things, in more important games, which have meant more. On a purely emotional level, with a lot of my friends and family here, Alice’s granddad here, my mum and dad, Alice’s mum and dad, most of the farmers from Bedfordshire (his friends) as well.

“In one way, everybody said the pressure will be off. But it’s been one of those weeks where every reception I’ve got, then not to go and get naught, get out early, it has brought a different kind of pressure. To perform and have a day like that, after 160 other games, it’s a nice way to go,” he added.

He said that he saw the retirement decision coming from the last 12-18 months. It was visible to him in training and even during matches and thus it was tough but he knew it was coming.

“It absolutely confirms it. This is not just the culmination of three or four low scores, bad games in a Test series. It’s been something that’s been coming for 12-18 months, not just a bit of bad form. That’s happened to me a number of times in my career.

“It is just time. It’s time for me it’s time for my family. It’s always nice people wanting a little bit more than trying to kick you out, and to go on your own terms makes it even better. It’s weird because actually, it was a really easy decision for me,” Cook said.

“I’ve spent all my life trying to play for England so then to give it up is obviously a big thing. But, it’s a bit like the captaincy – when you know it’s right, it’s right. This is just the icing on the cake, this final little bit, the last four days are unbelievable,” he added.

Signing off on a high

“It’s strange how it (getting hundreds in first and last Tests) works. I don’t know who decides all that stuff. But, yeah there is.”

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