7 great batsmen who never topped the ICC Test rankings chart

#6 ALASTAIR COOK: ENGLAND

Alastair Cook after completing 10000 runs in Test cricket; the first England batsman to do so

HIGHEST RATING: 874 (December 9, 2012)

HIGHEST RANKING: 2 (September 4, 2011)

The most prolific opener in Test history, Alastair Cook has scored over 12000 runs in his career and is a holder of some of Test cricket's major records. Cook is only 33, and will create some more records, however, the only one that looks out of his reach is the top spot in the ICC rankings.

Cook's highest rating came after his superlative hundred against India in Mumbai, which surprisingly earned him the 4th spot in the ICC Rankings. Only 5 points separated Cook and the top-ranked Shivnarine Chanderpaul, but the Englishman failed in the next Test and hasn't hit the same peak ever again.

Cook's highest ranking of 2 came when England were not even playing. Kumar Sangakkara slipped in the rankings which took him to second place but Cook was far behind top-ranked Jacques Kallis.