A young England team under the leadership of Alastair Cook is aiming for a positive outcome in the Ashes which starts on July 8. After the lackluster World Cup campaign, England Cricket Club adopted reformation policy. New ECB director Andrew Strauss after the taking the office, first sacked coach Peter Moores and shut down the door of Engalnd crciket team for Kevin Peterson.
The result he got during the series against New Zealand, particularly in ODI an aggressive England side defeated Kiwis 3-2 was good. England, under the agressive captaincy of Morgan clinched the ODI series against New Zealand. However, the Test series did not yield the desired result. England winning the first Test was followed by New Zealand thrashing the hosts in the second Test. Captain Alastair, who is termed not so aggressive, was one again under scanner for his conservative approach to the game.
His captaincy and batting form – both – have drawn severe criticism in the last two years. Cook is now in good form after the New Zealand series, which will be help England to revive their chance against archrival Australia at home. But one thing which might not help England that is Cook’s captaincy. ECB director Andrew Strauss made it clear yesterday by saying that Cook is best suited for the Ashes, but he can’t guarantee Cook’s captaincy in future. Nevertheless, Strauss passed a message to Cook that the Ashes series win may only help him to save his captaincy but if England suffered the humiliation once again Cook will have to leave the captaincy.
Alastair Cook, the English cricketer, who is already considered great before his retirement is known for his prolific run scoring ability, has been under scanner since England’s 5-0 Ashes defeat Australia Down Under in 2013. His conservative approach towards the game had been criticised by his predecessors.
The prolific lefthander is calm and down to earth, had got through a lean patch of his career; many think that that happened due to turmoil in dressing room with controversial Kevin Pietersen.
However, sine his debut in 2006 he made scoring century in almost every match a habit, but since 2013 he failed to score a century which finally broke during England’s 2015 tour of West Indies. Later, in the home series against New Zealand, he scored 162 at Lord’s in the first Test.
Cook, was first made the captain during England’s tour of Bangladesh in 2010 as Andrew Strauss ruled out from the tour because of injury. Later in 2012, as Andrew Strauss took retirement from the game, Cook was made the full-time captain of England team by ECB.
England beat India 2-1 at home, the first series of Alastair Cook as a captain. He had to manage the Kevin Pietersen, who also played key role in England’s historic series win over India later in 2012, saga successfully that first erupted in 2012.
Under his captaincy England won the Test series 3-1 in India after 24 years. In 2013 his team whitewashed Australia 3-0 at home in the Ashes. Following that he suffered a career slump.
In 2013 Ashes, England faced the real test in Australia, was bruised by the Aussies 5-0, and later a home series defeat to Sri Lanka raised question about his captaincy. Tension in the dressing room exposed, Kevin Pietersen issue once again became the boiling issue among the players.
However, things were not always this bad for Essex lad. The start to his captaincy stint was a dream. After becoming a captain, he scored six centuries in seven Test and most astonishing fact about him is that he achieved this feat in Sub continental conditions.
The southpaw is a complete batsman. He has all kind of characteristics which one batsman need to be successful in Test cricket – sound technique, patience and intent to play a long innings. He proved that with his arrival in Test cricket in 2006 while England toured India. He in his debut Test at Nagpur registered his maiden Test hundred. Following that he scored one hundred each in first appearance against Pakistan, West Indies and Bangladesh.
He acquired a rare skill of playing spin which his compatriot struggled to grab throughout their career. The average speaks for him. He has more than 57 run average against India and against Sri Lanka his average is more than 51.
However, before the 2015 ODI World Cup not only ODI captaincy was taken away from him but he was also sacked from the World Cup squad.
Now, we will have to see, how Cook, the highest run scorer in the history of England cricket, revive his career and save captaincy on stake during this Ashes.