Cook becomes emotional in final Test
London, Sep 11 :Having enjoyed the memorable end to his Test career, former England captain Alastair Cook was an emotional man at the end of the final match of the series against India here on Tuesday.
England won the fifth Test by 118 runs to win the series 4-1. Playing in his last Test, Cook scripted a fairy tale ending to his career in the longest format by scoring a century in England's second innings and clinching the man of the match award.
"It has been the most amazing week. Got a text from Beefy (Ian Botham) and he said Can I have your script writer? The memories shared with my team. Some very good moments," Cook said at the post match ceremony.
"You miss all the highs. I would miss playing for this team. This week can't be beaten. I can walk away with my head held high," he added.
The last day of the series saw a bit of drama as centuries by Lokesh Rahul and Rishabh Pant had given India a slim hope of clinching, or at least saving, the Test.
Rahul played a fighting knock of 149 runs before a spectacular delivery by England spinner Moeen Ali ended his resistance.
Pant, who scored 114, gave him excellent support from the other end as the duo built up a partnership of 204 runs to frustrate the England bowlers for a lengthy period.
However, once the duo were back in the pavilion, the hosts quickly wrapped up the Indian tailenders to complete a well deserved series victory.
It was a memorable day for James Anderson as well, as the England pacer's second innings figures of 4/63 saw him go past Australian legend Glenn McGrath to take the fourth spot on the list of all-time highest Test wicket takers.
Anderson, who now has 564 Test wickets to his name, is leading McGrath by one wicket. He is preceded on the list by Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble.
"Today it showed how tough Test cricket can be. I leave with great memories. To see Jimmy go past Glenn McGrath was brilliant. Just has been a privilege to have played with England's greatest cricketer," Cook said.
"No disrespect to any other cricketer. He almost takes it for granted that he will hit the length from ball one. It is fitting that he got the last wicket," he added.
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BJP has history of ‘contradictory alliances’, says BK Hariprasad
Bengaluru: Congress MLC B. K. Hariprasad has launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing the party of hypocrisy over its criticism of alliance politics in Tamil Nadu.
In a post on X on Friday, Hariprasad said BJP leader B. L. Santhosh criticising the Congress party’s alliance politics in Tamil Nadu was “not just laughable, but the height of political contradiction.”
He said the Congress has always joined hands with like-minded parties to protect secular and democratic values in the country.
Hariprasad questioned the BJP over several of its past and present alliances across the country. Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Tripura, Bihar and Maharashtra, he accused the BJP of sharing power with parties it had earlier criticised.
He alleged that the BJP had aligned with separatist and corruption-linked political forces in different states for political gains.
“The BJP, which speaks against alliances today, should first look at its own political history,” he said, adding that the party’s record was full of “contradictions and changing stands.”
Hariprasad also accused the BJP of using central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department and CBI as political tools to target opposition leaders, topple governments and influence electoral mandates.
He further claimed that the people of Tamil Nadu had strongly rejected the BJP and its ideology in the recent election.
“Congress forms alliances to protect the Constitution, secularism and national unity, while the BJP enters into alliances only for power,” he said.
