Alastair Cook looks unlikely to play the fourth Test between India and England at Southampton next week as he may go on paternity leave. Cook and his wife, Alice, are expecting their third child and Alice is likely to go in labour around the start of the match, on August 30.
Alastair Cook looks unlikely to play the fourth Test between India and England at Southampton next week as he may go on paternity leave. Cook and his wife, Alice, are expecting their third child and Alice is likely to go in labour around the start of the match, on August 30.
When England toured Bangladesh for the 2016-17 tour, Cook had joined the squad late so that he could attend the birth of his second daughter, Isobel. The couple's first, Elsie, was born in 2014.
If he misses the fourth Test, that will bring an end to his world-record succession of 157 Test appearances.
However, it might not be the best time for Cook to miss a match now that he is averaging only 19 in Test cricket this year - his lowest annual average since his debut in 2006. Since his double century at Melbourne last winter, he has managed only half-century in 13 innings.
According to reports, Cook is reluctant about giving up his place in the top-order and hence England are hopeful that he may choose to play the Test, which is surely turning out to be crucial as the hosts are inches away from losing the ongoing third Test at Trent Bridge.
Otherwise, if Cook actually misses the Test that would leave England in a fix. Cook’s replacement probably will be England Lions Captain, Rory Burns. With debutant Burns, Keaton Jennings still trying to re-establish himself as a Test opener, and Ollie Pope only two caps into his career, England’s top-order will get further vulnerable against an in-fire Indian bowling attack.
Making things worse, England’s wicketkeeper and in-form batsman Jonny Bairstow suffered a fractured finger during the third Test and will miss the next two matches mostly.
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