Ashes 2017-18: Combined XI of the series

2. Alastair Cook

The most successful opener of England ever Alastair Cook looked a pale shadow of himself in this series apart from his magical innings in Melbourne. He himself agreed of feeling relieved after that knock in the press conference. But his dismissals off Mitchell Starc were somewhat similar to what happened in 2013 while playing against Mitchell Johnson. He failed to plant his front foot in the right place when the ball was pitched up and nicked it behind more often than not. Even Nathan Lyon fluffed him few times only to expose his technique big time.

But his heroic knock of 244* in the fourth Test after the urn was relinquished saved him the blushes in this series. He finished with a tally of 376 runs in nine outings at an average of 47 with only a solitary score of more than 50. The only time when he surpassed the 50-run mark, Cook went on play a big innings which prove Australia picking him early played a huge role in them regaining the Ashes.