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Brisbane hasn't been a city to give England badly required confidence in the series

Following the loss to Australia at the series start, England must stir themselves before heading to Brisbane's Gabba, a ground where victory has eluded England for decades

Men wearing three lions have habitually been lambs to the slaughter at this challenging venue

The Inspirational Success

Throughout modern times of broken English hopes, hopes and athletes lies an inspirational story achieved by an exceptional player

This marks the 15th anniversary of Sir Alastair Cook conquered the Gabba via a landmark unbeaten 235, preserving the initial Test during that famous series establishing England's trajectory for their unique Ashes triumph on Australian soil during recent memory

Historic Achievement

This marked the start of the victorious circumnavigation of Australia; three hundred-plus scores and 766 runs

Wally Hammond remains the sole English player who has made more runs during a Test series in this country

England won 3-1, with every win via comprehensive wins

They have not won a Test here since those glory days

Looking Back

"One tends to forget the difficult moments, the tension and worry that went into that," Cook recalls

"I look back with pride. My contribution was substantial in a tournament that saw the English secured a 3-1 victory down under where each victory were won by an innings"

Path to Success

Cook's road toward Australian glory commenced well before at the end of the 2009 series in England

England won, the opener had an average below 25 managing only one innings over fifty

He desired better

"Cricket is a team game, the individuality creates the sensation that personal responsibility matters," he notes

Skill Development

Two days after the victory celebrations, he was back at work facing countless deliveries in practice under Graham Gooch's guidance

The initial results were encouraging

The batsman achieved three hundreds on overseas campaigns in South Africa and Bangladesh

Crucial Turning Points

After coming back to England for the 2010 summer, the left-hander had a "stinker"

During eight batting opportunities facing these opponents, his best performance reached only 29

Scoreless overnight following the second day during the final Test versus Pakistan at The Oval, Cook was convinced this would be his concluding international appearance before being dropped

"I found myself in the hospitality area, seeking the resolution through drinking," he reveals

The Turning Point

The 110-run innings ensured his position in the squad down under

The team maintained preparations by winning two and drawing one in practice matches on Australian soil

When the first Test arrived in Brisbane, they encountered three wickets from Siddle

Historic Partnership

Just before day three's conclusion, both batsmen opened England's second innings trailing by 221 runs

They achieved 19 without loss by day's end and followed up through a demonstration remembered in Ashes history

"I cannot recall specific guidance, our discussions," says Cook

The opening pair added 188 in their partnership

His unbeaten 235 stood as the best performance achieved by a Briton on Australian soil since the 1930s

Series Dominance

England exploited a remarkable opening session during the following Test in South Australia

When Anderson also nicked off the Australian batsman, the hosts stood at 2-3 and never recovered

He continued his Brisbane heroics through a 148-run innings in a famous match featuring Pietersen's destruction of the Australian bowling

The Final Triumph

The English might have secured the urn in Perth, however Johnson to indicate the trouble he would cause four years later

Then came arguably England's best performance in Ashes history on Australian soil

At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the enormous ground of Australian cricket, during Boxing Day, the home side collapsed to 98 all out

"If perfection existed for Boxing Day, that defined it. There was disbelief as the day ended," Cook remembers

The Final Victory

Driven by determination to secure the Ashes, the batsman performed brilliantly at the SCG

His score of 189 helped England reach 644, their highest total during Australian Tests

The debate didn't concern whether England would triumph the game and series, rather when

"The atmosphere was incredible," says Cook

"Following Tremlett's wicket of the final batsman to secure victory, it was a moment of absolute joy"

Enduring Impact

The batsman received top accolades

The following seven seasons in his international career were illuminated by additional achievements

Following his international retirement, Cook was knighted for cricket contributions

"{I couldn't have played any better|