Watch: Journalists Give Retiring Alastair Cook A Special Farewell Gift

Alastair Cook, on Monday, was in for a lovely surprise when he walked in the room to interact with the media after the end of the Day 4 of the fifth England vs India Test. The journalists presented the retiring English great with a special gift while he was interacting with them following his 33rd Test ton in his final game for England.

And towards the end of the interaction, the journalists gifted Cook 33 beer bottles as a token of respect. Cook, who had announced his international retirement last weak, signed off as England’s most successful Test batsman ever with 12472 runs at an average of 45.35 with 33 hundreds and 57 fifties to his name.

“On behalf of all the media, we appreciate everything you have done as a player and captain for England over the years, particularly the way you dealt with us,” a journalist said.

“There have been ups and downs but you dealt with us very professionally. We just want to show our appreciation for everything. We have got a little gift. You said to me once when we were out for a dinner that you are not really a wine drinker but you’re a beer man, a lager man. So we got you 33 [beer bottles for you]. And on each beer there’s a little message from each member of the media.

As modest as ever, Cook gracefully accepted the gift and thanked the journalists before shaking hands with the one who gifted him the present.

Here is the clip of Cook’s whole press-conference (Proceed towards the end to see the moment when Cook received the gift) :

Cook, meanwhile, departed in a fairytale manner, scoring 71 and 147 in his final outing for England. He became the fifth player in the history to score a century in his first and the last Test.

His knocks, meanwhile, have put England in the driver’s seat. The former England skipper added 259 runs with Joe Root, who scored 125, as England declared on a mammoth 423 for 8. In reply,  India had stumbled to 58-3 in a hopeless chase of 464 for victory.