Should Alastair Cook consider giving up the captaincy or retiring?

[steds]

I think more batsmen should retire in their 20s when they have more centuries than anyone else to ever play for their country

He's no Monty Panesar, though.

 

[Cooky Monster]

Root and Prior can **** off first closely followed by KP, and i hate saying that about KP.

Imagine if anyone had suggested 6 months ago that Prior should be dropped, you would think they were delusional, staggering drop off in form, he should be ****ed off sharpish now though but then its ****ing Bairstow.

Its one of those scenarios of what would you prefer isnt it, a punch in the face or a boot in the bollocks with those 2.

 

[JontyPanesar]

At least you revise your opinions...this isn't kneejerk since it's been happening quite consistently now. I haven't been the least bit surprised by how Cook has been doing in both of these Ashes after seeing Clarke so obviously reveal his plan. That said, you should tone it down a little.

Shaky front foot techniques have been overcome before (Chanders, Graeme Smith, Amla, Laxman), so it's not insurmountable. But I don't think discipline alone can work against quality bowling. Not sure what's the best method for Cook, but if he works at it (and I don't see why he can't/won't), he'll get through this phase. If he fails to adapt, that would be unfortunate

 

[Burgey]

Root and Prior can **** off first closely followed by KP, and i hate saying that about KP.

Imagine if anyone had suggested 6 months ago that Prior should be dropped, you would think they were delusional, staggering drop off in form, he should be ****ed off sharpish now though but then its ****ing Bairstow.

Its one of those scenarios of what would you prefer isnt it, a punch in the face or a boot in the bollocks with those 2.

Yeah but would you want Bairstow and/ or Ballance to come in for Perth?

 

[Spark]

Given that England's problem has been fast, straight bowling (of basically any length), I have no idea how you can place any confidence in Bairstow

 

[LegionOfBrad]

As a batsman, he's have a rough period. Exposed by the fact that bar Bell the rest of them are as well.

As a captain however he needs a change of approach. Nothing to do with this series as we are being blown away. But ever since Strauss retired there has been an increasing timid and gutless side to the way England are playing cricket. The run rate slowing to a crawl. The lack of killer instinct. These are things the captain should be influencing. He's obviously incredibly conservative and it's worked up until now. IMO he needs to start changing the attitudes in the dressing room.

Still we'll likely hammer India at home next summer and carry on as normal.

 

[Maximas]

CC is definitely the most reactionary poster I've ever seen

 

[Red]

I think Johnson should retire right now. He'll never get better than this.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

When Cook finds some foam in the summer this tour will be erased like the 06/07 one is. He'll be able to play all his favourite strocks against the lesser bowlers he'll face in the summer so will be back to being a great leader again.

Being serious though Cook may lose the captaincy if we lose 5-0.

 

[Shri]

Being serious though Cook may lose the captaincy if we lose 5-0.

Nope. Not unless he resigns he won't.

 

[Captain_Cook]

It seems a large number of posters have missed a rather important conditional word in my thread title. I'm asking the question if Cook should CONSIDER giving up the captaincy/retiring. I'd like him to continue but I can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. Cook looks like he's in a Strauss nosedive of form.

I think more batsmen should retire in their 20s when they have more centuries than anyone else to ever play for their country

That record is rather meaningless considering there are so many players from countries with less money/infrastructure with 30+ centuries. If anything it makes England's batsman look like habitual under-performers when an accumulator like Cook has 23 centuries before he's 29 rather than making Cook look very good.

Either England just can't produce the Tendulkar/Lara/Ponting/Sanga or we don't let them/try to force them to reach their potential.

 

[Daemon]

It's a known fact that English players are trained and nurtured rather than outright talented.

 

[Spark]

As a batsman, he's have a rough period. Exposed by the fact that bar Bell the rest of them are as well.

As a captain however he needs a change of approach. Nothing to do with this series as we are being blown away. But ever since Strauss retired there has been an increasing timid and gutless side to the way England are playing cricket. The run rate slowing to a crawl. The lack of killer instinct. These are things the captain should be influencing. He's obviously incredibly conservative and it's worked up until now. IMO he needs to start changing the attitudes in the dressing room.

Still we'll likely hammer India at home next summer and carry on as normal.

It's just too rigid. They got to number one through absolute, machine-like devotion to a single game-plan, but that has meant that they have no flexibility at all. Any time they're significantly exposed (Ajmal, Harris) or they meet something which you can't really contain using conventional methods (Johnson, Amla, Clarke) they seem exceptionally brittle.

 

[theegyptian]

Yes tbf we never really gave Ravi Bopara the time to become great.

But seriously Cook was pushed into the captaincy a bit earlier than they would have like due to Strauss' premature retirement and the lack of viable alternatives. There still are a lack of viable alternatives

Cook is vital to England's overseas success. He has set the tone so often but the captaincy can take it's toll on you especially as an opener when your having a chastening time in the field - that was always the worry.

He was brilliant in India but it's tough when you're struggling and the team.

And with defeats like this people are always going to ask for players to be dropped. But you need replacement who are going to do better immediately or in the long run. England simply don't.

 

[Spark]

He's just having a very well known technical flaw ruthlessly exposed by an excellent bowling attack. That's really the sum total of it.

 

[theegyptian]

He's just having a very well known technical flaw ruthlessly exposed by an excellent bowling attack. That's really the sum total of it.

Don't really agree with the second part. It's true that his dodgy technique has been exposed by very good bowling but he's always had to work hard in getting some kind of equilibrium in his stance and style.

There's no way to tell how the captaincy has affected him but the criticism, the upheaval and poor form in the squad and the propaganda war waged by the australian press will exert a pressure on his time and mind that may not allow him to properly prepare and be able to counter the opposition's attack in a way in which he has done in the past. It looks to me like mentally he has taken a lot. It's why I admire Dhoni. People criticize him for being stupid or inflexible but you almost need to be ignorant or pig headed as a captain.

I thought Cook would score runs in this series (I didn't against NZ and AUs at home). I still think he will. Cook normally meets the challenge and improves. He is certainly vital to the team away from home and that's why they may be better of not having him as captain so he can focus solely on his game and the constant battle he has with himself and his technique.

 

[Spark]

All those things weren't present during the English series. He suffered from the same problems there, and no amount of meta-analysis will change how far that front foot is going forward.

 

[wpdavid]

Being serious though Cook may lose the captaincy if we lose 5-0.

I hope not. It's been said before, but his captaincy should improve, and it hasn't been anywhere near a contributing factor to this debacle.

The question is whether he can go on to be our version of Allan Border, overseeing the introduction of a hungrier new generation to replace the big names who are content to live off past glories for a a few more pay-cheques. I don't think there's a massive well of talent in the CC, but we need someone experienced to run things whilst the kids find their feet.

Assuming massive defeats here and in Perth, the rebuilding starts in Melbourne.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I hope not. It's been said before, but his captaincy should improve, and it hasn't been anywhere near a contributing factor to this debacle.

The question is whether he can go on to be our version of Allan Border, overseeing the introduction of a hungrier new generation to replace the big names who are content to live off past glories for a a few more pay-cheques. I don't think there's a massive well of talent in the CC, but we need someone experienced to run things whilst the kids find their feet.

Assuming massive defeats here and in Perth, the rebuilding starts in Melbourne.

I'm not saying he should lose the job but he may as the press will start a witchhunt soon enough.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Wasn't everyone rejoicing when he won his first games as captain in India while scoring hundreds? Golden runs never last, especially when you're as workmanlike a batsman as Cook is. But he's solid in the head. Other changes first.