Alastair Cook: We had an amazing run as a Test team but being No1 in the world did not sit comfortably with us

New Test skipper Alastair Cook insists the Kevin Pietersen affair did not derail England’s summer and, after sitting in on his first selectors’ meeting, says he’s ready to lead a gruelling winter tour of India

Evening Standard

Alastair Cook has no fear that, after a summer of unprecedented sporting success, a nation famous for treasuring plucky losers may suddenly expect victory all the time.

The expectation for British sport has been raised to an unsupportable level but that is not a burden for the new England cricket captain, who on Tuesday took part in his first selection meeting to select the squad for the winter tour of India.