Flower: Cook captaincy will test squad

England coach Andy Flower believes that having Alistair Cook as captain for the upcoming Bangladesh tour will test the entire England squad.

The Essex opener takes over from Andrew Strauss in the role for three one-day internationals and two Test matches over the next couple of months, in order to allow Strauss to take a break ahead of the English summer and next winter’s Ashes tour.

Having appointed Cook – who is just 25 – Flower believes the whole touring party will have to adjust their roles and rise to new challenges.

Speaking on his return to England following the South Africa tour, the England coach said that it will be “interesting to see” how the team reacts to Cook as a captain and that it is a “challenge for all of us” to succeed in the temporary circumstances.

It does give Cook “captaincy experience” though and this has to be one of the main reasons he was asked to fill in for Strauss. England clearly see him as a future permanent captain of the team and during the “less pressurised” tour of Bangladesh, Cook can learn some valuable lessons.

Overall, Flower believes it is a “very exciting” time for the England batsman and the team as a whole.

As for the decision to give Strauss a rest, Flower says it was all about “managing his energy” and ensuring that he is “fresh and in a good frame of mind” when he returns to action in May.

For now though, Cook is England’s captain and that is how he should be treated. He has a big job to do in Bangladesh. They are a side that have improved quite a bit since England were last there.

England’s Bangladesh series odds make them favourites, but it is important momentum is maintained. England need a convincing series win to continue their decent form and if Cook gains captaincy experience at the same time it will be the perfect result for Flower.

Meanwhile, in horse racing news, the odds for this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup are really starting to get interesting and could be worth keeping an eye on as Denman and Kauto Star prepare to go head to head.

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