Selecting just four players to represent the pinnacle of cricketing greatness is no small feat. Every era of the sport has been graced by legends—batters, bowlers, and all-rounders—who left a lasting impact on the game. Former England captain Alastair Cook recently took on this difficult task, naming his personal ‘Cricket Mount Rushmore’ in a video shared by Stick to Cricket. Cook’s list, however, raised eyebrows as it did not feature a single Indian cricketer.
Alastair Cook names his Mount Rushmore of cricket
Cook based his selections only on players he played with or against, making it a more personal list rather than a statistical or legacy-based one. For the batter’s spot, he picked West Indies legend Brian Lara, ahead of Australia’s Ricky Ponting.
“It’s such a tough one between Lara and Ponting… but I have to go Brian Lara. I’ve never seen genius like it,” said Cook.
When it came to bowling, Cook named his former teammate and close friend James Anderson.
“Best bowler…I’m going to go one of my better friends James Anderson. I just think that longevity is one thing but the skill he had and the ability to play for as long as he did he can be my bowler,” added Cook.
As for the all-rounder, Cook initially considered Ben Stokes for his game-changing ability but eventually chose South African legend Jacques Kallis.
“Quite easy one actually.. I think Stokesey (Ben Stokes) has to be right up there in terms of game changing stuff but Jacques Kallis. The number of runs he scored was just incredible and you then top that up with the fact that he’s got over 200 Test wickets and caught like flies in the slips. he can be the best all-rounder I saw,” explained Cook.
Cook still acknowledged Stokes by including him as the “spare player”, praising the Englishman’s heroics in pressure situations and big-match temperament.
“Spare player, then I’m going to have Ben Stokes. A game changer and played some of the best innings ive ever seen under pressure to win big big games,” Cook added further.
Also READ: Alastair Cook names the top 4 greatest opening batters of all time
No Indian player in Cook’s list
What caught many fans by surprise was the omission of any Indian cricketer. With names like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, and Kapil Dev widely regarded as all-time greats, their absence from such a list has sparked discussion among cricket lovers.
Cook, a legend in his own right with over 12,000 Test runs and a decorated England career, made it clear that his selections were based on personal experiences. While subjective, his list reflects admiration for those he saw up close during his playing days.
Still, the debate over who truly belongs on cricket’s version of Mount Rushmore will continue—and perhaps that’s the beauty of such conversations.
Also READ: James Anderson reveals the toughest batter among the ‘Fab Four’ of world cricket
