Friday, July 15, 2016 could turn out to be a red letter day in the annals of Test cricket, for there’s a distinct possibility that Alastair Cook could end the day becoming Test cricket’s most successful opening batsman.
Prior to his first outing in the ongoing Lord’s Test, the England captain was 58 runs short of the record currently held by India’s Sunil Gavaskar, who had scored 9607 as opening batsman. Gavaskar’s record has stood for nearly three decades; he retired from Test cricket in March 1987, and it has taken more than 29 years thereafter for anyone to better that aggregate.
Pakistan, after opting to bat, finished the opening day at 282-6, with captain Misbah-ul-Haq leading from the front with a well-compiled unbeaten 110.
If the England bowlers clean up the Pakistan lower order quickly on the second morning, it will give the England captain an opportunity to claim the record early on Day II.
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