Cook, Strauss chew over Test captaincy

LONDON: England’s Test captain Alastair Cook will meet Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, on Friday (today), but there is no certainty that the issue of the Test captaincy will be resolved.

While such a debrief has become an established part of recent business for the England team, Cook admitted after defeat in the Test series in India that he had “questions” over his future and needed to “go away and do some thinking”.

There remains no indication that Strauss, or anyone else at the ECB, wants change. Both the coach, Trevor Bayliss, and assistant coach Paul Farbrace, who have spoken to Strauss in recent days, have expressed their hope that Cook will continue as leader. The current squad of players, some of whom are also understood to have spoken to Strauss this week, remain equally loyal.

The key is Cook’s appetite for the job. If he has any doubts that he can get through series against South Africa - so often the downfall of England captains in recent times - West Indies and Australia, it may well be decided that he is better to quit now.