Perth: Alastair Cook is set to stay as England captain in both Test and one-day cricket after being assured by senior players here that they still feel he is the best man for the job.
Cook, under extreme pressure after losing the Ashes 5-0 followed by three successive defeats in this one-day series, celebrated England’s first international win on this tour at the WACA in Perth yesterday and then confirmed that he had changed his mind about wanting to hand over the one-day reins.
An emotional Cook had said he was considering quitting the 50-over leadership after the defeat in Sydney last Sunday that consigned England to another series reverse but he was much more positive both before and after the 57-run victory here in the fourth ODI.
“I’ve done quite a lot of talking to some of the guys and sometimes you do need a bit of reassurance when you’ve lost a lot of games,’ said Cook, who insisted before the match that he was ‘desperate’ to remain in office. “Last week I had a tough three days and said what I was feeling after the game in Sydney.
“Perhaps you shouldn’t do that but maybe we can move on. With what I’ve learnt over the last three years it would be wrong to change so close to the World Cup.
“We’re getting valuable experience in conditions we will face in that World Cup, so if I’m given the opportunity I’d like to carry on.”
There will almost certainly be no opposition from within the ECB and he will receive a sympathetic hearing next week when he meets new England managing director Paul Downton.
Cook also retains the support of the players, with Stuart Broad, one of the few realistic alternatives, telling the captain he was ‘200 per cent’ the best man to carry on.
Cook’s hopes of staying were helped by a much-improved England performance at the WACA, with Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler — two young players who will be at the heart of the ‘new’ England — key figures in a long overdue win.
