“I’ve got to go away and do some thinking”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Alastair Cook has confirmed that he will take some time to decide whether he wants to continue on as England Test captain.
Speculation has been rife about whether Cook will carry on leading England in the longest format ever since he told The Cricketer Magazine: “Deep down I don’t know how much longer I am going to carry on. It could be two months, it could be a year.”
Cook made those comments prior to the start of the recently concluded five-Test series against India. However, during the series, he admitted that vice-captain Joe Root was ready to replace him on a full-time basis.
When asked about future as Test captain, Cook told Sky Sports: “This is not the place to be asking me these questions. I’ve got to go away and do some thinking; get back home and do it without the emotive side of what’s happened over the last nine weeks.”
England assistant coach Paul Farbrace confirmed that Cook would speak with head coach Trevor Bayliss and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director Andrew Strauss when he ultimately makes his decision.
“The respect that Cook has in the team and the fact that the team are very much behind him, speaks volumes about him as a bloke and a captain,” he said. “It will be his decision with Andrew Strauss and Trevor Bayliss – they’ll have that conversation.
“I think he’ll probably need a few days to clear his head. But Cooky will do the right thing for the England cricket team. He always has done and he always will do and he’s been an excellent leader. We hope he continues but ultimately it’s his decision.”
When questioned about whether the decision would be taken out of Cook’s hands, considering that England have lost eight Test matches this year, Farbrace said: “The thing that we’ve been talking about within our small management group with Strauss is the fact that we are working towards the Ashes series – and in those plans Cooky is in those plans to be the captain of our side.
“Nothing that has happened in this series will change our minds in terms of him being the right person to lead the England cricket team but, as I say, after every series we sit and chat about the way forward.”