Continuing his verbal duel with the England captain, Graeme Swann has suggested Alastair Cook should miss the ‘turmoil’ of inevitable one-day failures ahead to keep himself fresh for the challenge of regaining the Ashes. ‘Ashes is the biggest thing in cricket and I am one of those that cannot give a hoot about World Cup if we win the Ashes. That is why I want the Test team to be in the best possible shape, and I believe that is with Alastair Cook as a confident leader who is still brimming with the feelings of that India Test victory.
I think that is going to be chipped away this winter, when I can’t see them winning many games,’ Swann said. Swann believes it is imperative to England’s Ashes chances that Cook is not scarred by what he regards as inevitable one-day failures this winter. ‘The reason I didn’t want Cooky playing in this series is I knew the brand of cricket England were going to play. I don’t want him involved in all this turmoil when he had done so well to boost his stock levels after the Test series,’ he said.
I think that is going to be chipped away this winter, when I can’t see them winning many games,’ Swann said. Swann believes it is imperative to England’s Ashes chances that Cook is not scarred by what he regards as inevitable one-day failures this winter. ‘The reason I didn’t want Cooky playing in this series is I knew the brand of cricket England were going to play. I don’t want him involved in all this turmoil when he had done so well to boost his stock levels after the Test series,’ he said.