AN Cook scored 263 against Pakistan in the just concluded test at Abu Dhabi to provide the 109^th occasion of an opening batsman scoring a double century in a test innings. It also provides the 17^th occasion of an England opening batsman scoring a double century in a test innings. All such occasions are listed below

No	Player	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	JB Hobbs	211	2	v South Africa	Lord’s	28 Jun 1924
2	A Sandham	325	1	v West Indies	Kingston	03 Apr 1930
3	L Hutton	364	1	v Australia	The Oval	20 Aug 1938
4	L Hutton	206	2	v New Zealand	The Oval	13 Aug 1949
5	L Hutton	202*	2	v West Indies	The Oval	12 Aug 1950
6	L Hutton	205	2	v West Indies	Kingston	30 Mar 1954
7	JH Edrich	310*	1	v New Zealand	Leeds	08 Jul 1965
8	G Boycott	246*	1	v India	Leeds	08 Jun 1967
9	DL Amiss	262*	3	v West Indies	Kingston	16 Feb 1974
10	D Lloyd	214*	2	v India	Birmingham	04 Jul 1974
11	DL Amiss	203	2	v West Indies	The Oval	12 Aug 1976
12	G Fowler	201	2	v India	Chennai	13 Jan 1985
13	GA Gooch	333	1	v India	Lord’s	26 Jul 1990
14	ME Trescothick	219	2	v South Africa	The Oval	04 Sep 2003
15	AN Cook	235*	3	v Australia	Brisbane	25 Nov 2010
16	AN Cook	294	2	v India	Birmingham	10 Aug 2011
17	AN Cook	263	2	v Pakistan	Abu Dhabi	13 Oct 2015

AN Cook’s 263 was his third double century as an opening batsman in his test career. L Hutton with four double centuries holds the record for most double centuries by an England opening batsman. The performance of these two batsmen are listed below

No	Player	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	L Hutton	364	1	v Australia	The Oval	20 Aug 1938
2	L Hutton	206	2	v New Zealand	The Oval	13 Aug 1949
3	L Hutton	202*	2	v West Indies	The Oval	12 Aug 1950
4	L Hutton	205	2	v West Indies	Kingston	30 Mar 1954
1	AN Cook	235*	3	v Australia	Brisbane	25 Nov 2010
2	AN Cook	294	2	v India	Birmingham	10 Aug 2011
3	AN Cook	263	2	v Pakistan	Abu Dhabi	13 Oct 2015