Alastair Cook has paid tribute to his wife, Alice, for helping him retain the England captaincy and lead the team to a 3-1 Test series victory over India. The England skipper, who faced intense scrutiny after a poor run of form, credited his wife's support for keeping him in the role.
Speaking after the series-clinching win at the Oval, Cook revealed that he had considered stepping down following the defeat to Sri Lanka at Headingley. 'I stayed on because of support I had from my wife,' he said. 'You can bear your soul quite often to Alice and she's very good at getting me back on the straight and narrow.'
Cook's perseverance paid off as England secured three consecutive thumping wins, culminating in an innings and 244-run victory over India. The captain, who has amassed a fortune of £5 million, described himself as 'stubborn' and 'resilient', adding that he believed in his abilities when he needed to most.
The series win marks a remarkable turnaround for England, who had struggled since the winter tour. Cook emphasised that he does not play to prove people wrong but to win games for England. He said he is passionate about English cricket and believes he is the right man to lead the side forward alongside coach Peter Moores.
India captain MS Dhoni, meanwhile, faced questions about his team's poor batting performance. When asked if young Indian batsmen should play county cricket instead of the IPL, Dhoni replied, 'You need to speak to the BCCI about that. Don't be jealous of the IPL.'
