Cook credits Gooch for 'daddy hundreds'

Alastair Cook moved within one Test century of his mentor Graham Gooch on Thursday and said it was the former captain who has made England's batsmen greedy for "daddy hundreds".

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Cook was 182 not out at the close of day two of the third Test against India, his seventh hundred in his last 13 Tests and his 19th Test century leading the hosts to 456 for three in their first innings.

"We talk about trying to make daddy hundreds and I think I have managed to do that with my last few," left-hander Cook told reporters after England surged 232 runs ahead of India.

"The daddy phrase is from (batting coach) Goochie, he doesn't really count anything under 150."

Cook also made 235 not out against Australia in Brisbane in November, 189 versus the same opponents in Sydney in January and 133 against Sri Lanka in Cardiff in May.

The Essex opener joined his skipper Andrew Strauss and Len Hutton on 19 Test hundreds and trails only five men on the list of England centurions -- Wally Hammond (22), Colin Cowdrey (22), Geoff Boycott (22), Ken Barrington (20) and Gooch.

The 58-year-old Gooch, who also played for Essex, hit 20 centuries in a 118-Test career that ended in 1995 and Cook seemed almost reluctant to think of passing his mark.

"It will be a shame when, or if, I do equal him because he is a great player but he's also a friend now," said the 26-year-old.

"We have a work ethic among our batters over the last couple of years since Goochie came on board and the results have gone through the roof. But we have to keep our feet on the ground."

Talking about the nature of the wicket, Cook said, "The wicket will not get any better. It's starting to take a bit of turn so we want to bat once and bat as big as we can. We don't want to bat under too much pressure in that fourth innings," Cook said after his monumental effort.

Cook, however, was not ready to take things easy.

"We're not even halfway through this Test match yet. We have to keep scoring. Then we will put them under more pressure when they bat again. We know if we put a lot of miles in their legs again, as we have been doing in the last two Tests, it gives our bowlers more time to rest up."

Cook singled out Praveen Kumar as the bowler to have troubled him the most in the series.

"Kumar has bowled exceptionally well. He has swung it both ways and found a good length as well. Fortunately, I survived him today. He has definitely been their best bowler."