Root’s ‘great start’ encourages former skipper Cook

Former England captain Alastair Cook hailed the “outstanding” start made by new Test skipper Joe Root ahead of his second outing in charge. Yorkshire batsman Root will look to guide England to a win that puts them 2-0 up in the four-match series when the second Test gets underway at Trent Bridge on Friday after his first match as captain ended in a dominant 211-run win over the Proteas at Lord’s last week.

That was the 26-year-old Root’s first match as Test captain since Cook stepped down from the post in February and saw the new skipper star with the bat as well in making a first-innings 190. “It was a great week for English cricket,” Cook told Sky Sports on Wednesday.

“For Joe Root to get off and win a game by 200 runs and get 190, it doesn’t get much better than that,” added the 32-year-old Cook, still in the England side as an opening batsman.

“I am really pleased for him. He had a horrible cold all week, but I thought he was outstanding.

“When he did speak in the dressing room his messages were very clear. The confidence he will have got from last week, it is always important to start well.

“He got the monkey off his back in terms of getting a big score early on in your captaincy career, which stops everyone talking about captaincy affecting your batting.

“I think all in all he will have gone to bed Sunday night a very happy man.”

No one knows more about the pressures of leading the team than Cook, who captained England in a record 59 Tests before standing down following a 4-0 series loss in India late last year.