Cook opens up about Ashes, knighthood and Dubai

From a wide-eyed teenager marvelling at Brian Lara’s genius to earning a coveted place in the pantheon of Test batting greats, Alastair Cook’s journey is quite astonishing.

- Rituraj Borkakoty [e-mail]

Alastair Cook was knighted in February 2019 for his services to cricket. - AFP FILE

(AFP FILE)

The former England opener may have retired from Test cricket in 2018 as one of the highest run-scorers in the format (12,472 from 161 Tests with 33 hundreds), but the 40-year-old still talks about the game with the same enthusiasm with which he first played cricket for a local club in England at the age of 11.

In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, Cook, who was in Dubai to attend an event at Queen Elizabeth's School, looked back on his career, revealed admiration for the UAE's world-class cricket facilities and gave his verdict on England's chances of making a comeback in the Ashes Down Under.

Q. You played in Dubai when Pakistan used to play their home matches here. Tell us about this place, the way cricket has come up, infrastructure-wise..