The Ashes 2013: Andy Flower praises Alastair Cook's captaincy

Andy Flower

England’s team director Andy Flower has said that Alastair Cook is a strong leader, and also highlighted the fact that Cook’s captaincy was crucial to England’s success in the ongoing Ashes series.

Andy Flower also accepted the fact that England haven’t played to their true potential in the ongoing Ashes series.

“I don’t think we’ve played our best cricket in the series,” Flower said. “But what we have done is been resilient. We’ve held ourselves well in pressure situations.

About Cook’s captaincy, the former Zimbabwean cricketer said: “Cook’s captaincy has been excellent: strong in the dressing room and out in the field. He made some decisions that turned the game, such as bringing on Bresnan, who got Warner straight away. He’s been maligned in some areas, I’ve heard. I’m not sure what is said off the field but we judge ourselves by our own standards.

“As a Test captain he is still a young man but he has led the side brilliantly. He’s a strong leader and he’s made some really good decisions in this Test series.”

Shane Warne, the former Australian cricketer, also felt that Cook hasn’t been a good captain in the last couple of Test series. He tweeted: “Cook is having a horror with his captaincy in the last two Tests. He set the tone early being very defensive and negative today.”

Andy Flower was also in praise for Stuart Broad, who took 11 wickets in the fourth Test, to help England seal the series against Australia.

However, he accepted the fact that the Ashes series in Australia will certainly test the England team.

“It was nice being part of that afternoon session where Broad and Cook turned things around for us,” Flower said. “Broad’s spell of bowling was outstanding, showing real competitiveness, flair, nous and heart. They are all great qualities that reside in some of these very fine players.

He further said: “Playing in Australia will be a bigger challenge and we’ve already got some of our planning in operation. It will be a tough series and conditions will be very different. South Africa went there last winter and nearly lost to a very similar team to the one we’ve faced.

“We won in India last winter and that was a good example of adapting to very different conditions. We’ll have to do that in Australia if we are to thrive out there.”