Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook did not hold back in a light-hearted moment during a BBC Sport segment at Lord's where he revealed which teammate he dreaded running between the wickets with. Cook was part of England's coverage team during the third Test against India.
He shared the anecdote in response to a fan question about batting communication. The segment featured Cook, former seamer Steven Finn and statistician Andy Zaltzman.
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It was part of a "Ask Me Anything" video. It was filmed during the dramatic Lord's Test that saw England edge out India in a tense finish.
Alastair Cook calls Ravi Bopara as worst partner between wickets
When asked who his worst running partner was, Cook named Ravi Bopara. Although Bopara was quick between the wickets, Cook said he could not trust his judgment when it came to calling runs.
"Ravi Bopara. Dreadful judge of a run. So I just called everything for him because I didn't trust him."
Cook explained that Bopara's quickness actually made it harder for them to sync up. While Bopara might confidently call for a run, Cook admitted he would often be left chugging behind.
"He will think, 'Yeah, I’m absolutely fine,' with no concern about me chugging up the other end," he added.
The former England skipper said that communication is usually a team effort. The striker typically calls the shots unless the ball goes behind square, in which case it's the non-striker's call.
But in Bopara's case, Cook decided to take over all the calling responsibilities just to avoid confusion.