Cook puts his thinking cap on with an eye on World Cup
Alastair Cook must balance his priorities of overturning odds against India and managing the start of England’s World Cup fact-finding mission when the ODI series gets under way in Bristol today.
The captain, one week on after completing the glorious transition of his Test summer from certain failure into resounding victory, has already confirmed he will have a new opening partner in Alex Hales – and previous incumbent Ian Bell will bat at No3.
Yet in almost the same breath, Cook acknowledged the elevation of explosive short-format specialist Hales may yet be a mere watching brief – with the restoration of Bell, in time for the World Cup early next year, still a fallback option.
As for his own position, Cook insists the identity of his opening partner will entail no significant amendment to his methods.
“I don’t think it changes my role,” he said. “The job of the top four or five is to try and score a hundred, and win the game by setting up the game. You have to try and do it in your way. I have got to convert starts into scores. That’s the job of an opener.”
Cook has enhanced his own strike rate since his return to England’s 50-over team after the 2011 World Cup, but it still pales in comparison to the one Hales has established in List A cricket.
He said: “I still have to strike too – I can’t let Alex do all the scoring.
“Since I have come back into the side, my strike rate hasn’t been bad – it’s at over 80.”
Bell is the one who must adapt – although, as Cook admits, his repositioning may yet not be final.
“There is a different role for Ian to play,” he said. “But Belly’s a world-class player. So I have no doubts he can do that – and also, if we want to change it (back) up at the top of the order, mine and Belly’s partnership has been a good one over the last couple of years.”
Cook has no qualms about describing India as the likeliest winners over the next two weeks, despite their Test humbling and given their pedigree as World Cup and Champions Trophy holders .
“A change of format will obviously do them good. We’ve got to remember they’re world champions at 50 overs, so they obviously know what they’re doing and will probably go into this as favourites.”
