Agencies
Sydney, January 11
England captain Alastair Cook refused to be drawn on Kevin Pietersen’s future in his press conference ahead of the opening one-day international against Australia.Cook was facing the media for the first time since reports emerged that team director Andy Flower was prepared to move the England Test team forward without Pietersen following their Ashes whitewash.
However, Cook was unwilling to discuss the future as well as his own relationship with Pietersen as he looked ahead to the five-match 50-over series.
“It’s very hard for me to talk to you the media about this. It’s very hard,” said the 29-year-old.
“I can’t do that. Confidentiality and stuff like that – what happens in the dressing room stays in the dressing room. I refuse to do that.”
Asked if that could be construed as a failure to endorse Pietersen, he replied, “You can regard it as you want. As is the way with the media that happens.”
Cook admits the failings of his side in the Ashes have weighed heavily on his shoulders in the week since the whitewash was confirmed in Sydney. “Obviously when you lose a series 5-0 a lot of things get thrown up and thrown in your face as a captain,” he said.
“You start looking at everything and it is important that we do that. What is also important is that it has only been a week since everything happened. I would be wrong if I wasn’t lying in my bed over the last week or so thinking about stuff I would like to do and how I would like to lead this side forward and the decisions which go with that.”
Cook is now looking forward to the one-day series against Australia which starts in Melbourne on Sunday.
