Alistair Cook became the fifth batsman to score a century in his first and last tests. Australian Bill Ponsford and his fellow Reggie Duff, Greg Chappel, and Indian Muhammad Azharuddin are the other four who achieved this unique landmark. However, Bill Ponsford’s record is the unique one, as he scored hundreds in his first two and last two tests.
Therefore, come to the point of the batsman who scores the highest score in his final test inning before Alistair Cook? The record was set by West Indies batsman Seymour Nurse against New Zealand at Christchurch in 1968–69. Seymour Nurse scored 258, and he had already announced his intention to retire from cricket. With this beautiful inning and pleas from it, Captain Sir Garry Sobers didn’t change his mind.
Moreover, two other batsmen signed off with a double century in their final innings. Sri Lankan PA de Silva scored 206 against Bangladesh in Colombo in 2002. Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie made 201 not out against Bangladesh in Chittagong in 2005-06. The next comes on England Andy Sandham made 325 and 50 against the West Indies in Kingston in 1929–30, and Bill Ponsford (266 for Australia vs. England at the Oval in 1934) both passed 200 in the first innings of their final Test.