James Anderson and retiring Alastair Cook share limelight as England beat India at The Oval

Fast bowler breaks Glenn McGrath's tally of Test wickets for a fast bowler as best mate Cook retires on a high

England's James Anderson (C) celebrates with England's Alastair Cook after taking the wicket of India's Mohammed Shami on the final day of the fifth Test cricket match between England and India at The Oval in London on September 11, 2018. - The match ended when James Anderson became the most successful fast bowler in Test history when he bowled Mohammed Shami for his 564th Test wicket, breaking the record he had shared with Australia's Glenn McGrath. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. NO ASSOCIATION WITH DIRECT COMPETITOR OF SPONSOR, PARTNER, OR SUPPLIER OF THE ECB
Powered by automated translation

It all ended with a squabble, some push and shove, and then tears. Best mates, having to be parted. Prized apart. Neither, it is safe to assume, would have had it any other way.

Farewell, then, Alastair Cook, following the most glorious sunset imaginable. A half-century and a century in the same match, just as it started 12 years ago in Nagpur. And a curtain-call with The Oval's Gasholder No 1 as the backdrop. Just as all the greats do it.

Typically, of a man so adored by his teammates, he was trying to push someone else to the front to take the applause when he left the field for the final time.

James Anderson had, after all, just taken the wicket that had taken him ahead of Glenn McGrath, and to the very summit of the wicket-taking charts among pace bowlers in Test match cricket.

The 564th wicket of his career ended India’s stubborn resistance. It knocked over Mohammed Shami’s middle-stump. Maybe the script they had prepared was for Shami to nick off to first slip, where Cook would have pouched the catch.

But still, this will do.

“Somewhere, it was written,” Cook said, at the finish, before labelling Anderson “England’s greatest cricketer”.

Cricket - England v India - Fifth Test - Kia Oval, London, Britain - September 11, 2018   England's Alastair Cook and James Anderson celebrate with a trophy after the match   Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
England opener Alastair Cook, right, has now retired, while his long-time teammate James Anderson will likely play longer. Reuters

Anderson's tongue-in-cheek video about Cook

Really, the moment should have belonged to Anderson. But, despite being three years Cook’s senior, Anderson will carry on, while the godfather to his eldest daughter leaves the scene. There is plenty of time yet for Anderson to add to his haul, and try to rein in the tallies of the master spinners Anil Kumble, Shane Warne, and Muttiah Muralitharan.

So he shoved Cook to the front instead, and would not take no for an answer. Soon after, Anderson attempted to give a flash interview to television. That had to be quickly aborted. The tears suggested he is going to miss his mate.

It was all about Cook, Anderson, and England. Four-one winners in a series against the world’s No 1 side, led by the world’s leading player.

Four-one seems like a thrashing. But the scoreline offers scant credence to an India side that provided so much pluck and brio in one of the most enthralling series played anywhere in recent times.

Test cricket, dying? Are you sure?

“The fans will come and watch if both teams want to win and be competitive in every situation, that is where the excitement of this format lies,” India captain Virat Kohli said.

How India recover as they get ready to head to the UAE remains to be seen. Kohli, their player of the series for his remarkable run-getting, was supposed to be the most conspicuous absentee from the Asia Cup. But what about Rishabh Pant?

______________

Read more:

Seth Jacobson: End of road for Cook, even as Anderson continues on journey

'Dream come true' for Cook as century puts England on cusp of Test win

Virat Kohli's Asia Cup absence could help Indian revival, says Kapil Dev

Ian Oxborrow: Cook's retirement feels like death knell for Test cricket

______________

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11:  Rishabh Pant and Lokesh Rahul of India salute the crowd as they leave the field at tea during day five of the Specsavers 5th Test match between England and India at The Kia Oval on September 11, 2018 in London, England.  (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Rishabh Pant, right, and Lokesh Rahul put on a 200-plus partnership for the sixth wicket. Getty Images

The Delhi wicketkeeper had a mixed debut series. With India’s pace attack curving the ball hither and thither – particularly so once it had beaten the bat – he was often all at sea with the gloves.

The number of byes he conceded got progressively worse by the Test: 16, then 30, then 40 at The Oval. They are poor numbers, no matter what the prevailing conditions are.

He had some failures with the bat, too. But his effervescent century – the first by an Indian Test wicketkeeper in England – in the fifth Test, was evidence of a precious talent. Such a pity we will not be seeing him in Dubai next week.

Not so long ago, England rearranged the regular run of four-yearly Ashes tours. There was sound thinking behind the schedule rejig. Away Ashes usually went badly, which had a negative knock-on effect for the World Cup that habitually followed straight on after.

India might have been minded to do similar ahead of the Asia Cup.

England is a usually a tough away assignment, and so it proved. The blows they suffered across these Tests may be difficult to shake off before their one-day side face Hong Kong at Dubai International Stadium next Tuesday.

At least opener Lokesh Rahul found form just at the right time. His magisterial 149 in the final innings of the series was a reminder of his lavish gifts with the bat.

It was also a handy tune-up ahead of the challenges to come in the UAE.

He might have pushed his side closer to what had seemed like an impossible win, too, had England not suddenly remembered that Adil Rashid still played for them.

He was handed a rare chance by Joe Root, went all Shane Warne on Rahul, and the game was all but won.