14 Dec 2012

Gooch says Cook could become the greatest

6:08 am on 14 December 2012

The England cricket team batting coach Graham Gooch says captain Alastair Cook has the potential to match Sachin Tendulkar's run-scoring feats.

The 27-year-old Cook became the youngest player to reach 7,000 Test runs and England's most prolific centurion with his 23rd as England beat India in the third test in Kolkata.

39-year-old Tendulkar has a record 15,643 Test runs and 51 hundreds.

Gooch says Cook can pass Ricky Ponting and Tendulkar to become the top batsman in the world.

England only need a draw in the fourth and final test against India, which is underway in Nagpur, to win the series.