Eng leave for India series, Cook delighted to have KP
26 Oct 2012 6:32 AM IST
The England team embarked on their gruelling Test tour of India on Thursday with captain Alastair Cook insisting that Kevin Pietersen’s text message scandal was over and he was delighted to have the controversial batsman in the squad for the series.
Cook, who was a driving force behind the reconciliation process that ended last week with Pietersen being added to the India-bound squad, said he wanted his best players to be with him for the four-match and eight-week Test series starting on November 15.
‘For me as captain this is the best possible outcome because we have a world-class player back in our team. It’s been a difficult two months for Kevin but he’s contrite and he’s determined to get back to what he does best, scoring runs for England. As a captain that’s all I want. I want him to come back in the side and score match-winning runs like he has in the past,’ said Cook at the Lord’s as the team prepares to leave for Dubai. The team will train at the ICC Global Cricket Academy for two days till October 28 before flying next day to Mumbai where they will play their first tour match against India ‘A’ side. Cook, who is on his maiden tour as Test captain, acknowledged the importance of cohesion and togetherness in the team over the course of the next 18 months, which includes this India tour and two Ashes series.
‘The meetings before the tour have been really helpful and key to this process. We’re always going to have to work with every member of the side and different issues crop up but we know team spirit is important and every member of the squad and management will have to protect that,’ he said.
‘During the meetings we have had with him these issues have been discussed. We are very confident he can fit into the team otherwise he would not have been added to the squad. Now Kevin is back we do have to draw a line under what’s happened.
Andy Flower and I have worked closely on this issue and I’m just delighted we have ended up where we are,’ said Cook.
SKIPPER NOT WORRIED ABOUT LACK OF SPINNERS
Indian selectors' decision to not include a spinner in the India 'A' team for the warm-up game against the visiting England might have irked many, but skipper Alastair Cook feels that his side is experienced enough to adapt to any situation.
‘Anyone who has been there (to India) before knows there are a lot of net bowlers available to us and we can bat as long as we want against them and there are a lot of spinners we can face,’ he said.
Cook, who was a driving force behind the reconciliation process that ended last week with Pietersen being added to the India-bound squad, said he wanted his best players to be with him for the four-match and eight-week Test series starting on November 15.
‘For me as captain this is the best possible outcome because we have a world-class player back in our team. It’s been a difficult two months for Kevin but he’s contrite and he’s determined to get back to what he does best, scoring runs for England. As a captain that’s all I want. I want him to come back in the side and score match-winning runs like he has in the past,’ said Cook at the Lord’s as the team prepares to leave for Dubai. The team will train at the ICC Global Cricket Academy for two days till October 28 before flying next day to Mumbai where they will play their first tour match against India ‘A’ side. Cook, who is on his maiden tour as Test captain, acknowledged the importance of cohesion and togetherness in the team over the course of the next 18 months, which includes this India tour and two Ashes series.
‘The meetings before the tour have been really helpful and key to this process. We’re always going to have to work with every member of the side and different issues crop up but we know team spirit is important and every member of the squad and management will have to protect that,’ he said.
‘During the meetings we have had with him these issues have been discussed. We are very confident he can fit into the team otherwise he would not have been added to the squad. Now Kevin is back we do have to draw a line under what’s happened.
Andy Flower and I have worked closely on this issue and I’m just delighted we have ended up where we are,’ said Cook.
SKIPPER NOT WORRIED ABOUT LACK OF SPINNERS
Indian selectors' decision to not include a spinner in the India 'A' team for the warm-up game against the visiting England might have irked many, but skipper Alastair Cook feels that his side is experienced enough to adapt to any situation.
‘Anyone who has been there (to India) before knows there are a lot of net bowlers available to us and we can bat as long as we want against them and there are a lot of spinners we can face,’ he said.
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