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Unsettled England must brace themselves for South Africa, says Cook

Alastair Cook at a press conference before the English team departed for South Africa

Alastair Cook, the England Test captain, has called on his team-mates to take the upcoming opportunity to win a Test series in South Africa as a challenge, despite admitting that they themselves are an unsettled side for now.

Hales – new opening partner for Cook?

Since the retirement of Andrew Strauss in 2012, Cook and England have been searching for an opening batsman and have trialled as many as seven men for the role, but none of them have shown the consistency or the temperament deemed fit for the role.

Come the Boxing Day, and Alex Hales might just become the English captain’s eighth opening partner in three years when they take on South Africa in the 1st Test of the four-Test Series in Durban.

Cook, however, wishes to look at the silver lining as he believes that his team has got what it takes to achieve what might very well be one of the greatest moments in their young careers – beating South Africa in their own den.

He also added that since the departure of their legends such as Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher, the SA line-up has gone through significant changes and would be different from what he had faced the last time England were there.

"When you lose the greats of the game, Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini, Mark Boucher … there's always going to be a bit of evolution in a side but trying to replace them is nigh on impossible, especially in one generation," Cook said. "They are certainly a different side to what I have played in the past."

Break a blessing in disguise for Bell, says Cook

England have decided to part ways with their most experienced Test batsman alongside Cook, Ian Bell, for the series, and while questions were being raised on Bell’s career, Cook has instead said that this break for his right-handed team-mate might just be a blessing in disguise.

He gave his own example from a year back, when he was sacked as England ODI captain as well as lost his place in the side.

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