Cook 'ready' for ODI captaincy

Alastair Cook has said that he is "ready" to captain England in the one-day format, if he is offered the job. There have been rumours, which began while England were still in the World Cup, about the future of Andrew Strauss - England's current Test and ODI captain - in the 50-over game. England were knocked out by Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals and Andy Flower, the England team director, has admitted brief discussions with Strauss over the captain's future in one-day internationals.

"There is never an ideal time to take over," Cook told the Daily Telegraph. "I know that. But I like challenging myself and if the opportunity arises in the near future I would like to try it but if selection goes the other way and they choose another captain if Straussy retires then so be it." Strauss is currently on a six-week break from all cricket until Middlesex's tour match against Sri Lanka on May 16.

"Since the World Cup people have been asking me this question," Cook said. "At the moment Andrew Strauss is England captain. I don't crave seeing him giving it up. I would love the opportunity to be captain if it comes off but if it doesn't come up then so be it."

Cook's first full series as captain was during England's tour of Bangladesh in early 2010, when Strauss was given a break by the selectors ahead of the English season. He captained England in three ODIs and two Tests on that series and said that tour was a "massive learning curve" for him. "The pressure was to win every game in Bangladesh and we did that. You can only be judged on your results and the players did like me as captain."

Cook, who hasn't played an ODI for England since the Bangladesh tour and failed to make the final World Cup squad, said that he would "love to get back" into the ODI side. "Over the last few years my one-day game has changed a lot. By not being in England squads I have had a chance to play more one-day cricket for Essex and added things to my game.

"Look at Straussy. His strike-rate is great. He has taken his one-day game to another level and that has happened since he got back in as captain. I think I could do it but I also think we can score runs together at the top of the order at a decent rate."

Cook emerged the top run-getter with 766 runs during England's victorious Ashes campaign in Australia over the winter and said that performance was key to helping him regain his self-belief following a poor summer. "To have been part of an Ashes-winning squad and to have contributed a lot of runs has definitely given me a satisfaction and self-belief," he said.

"The biggest thing for me was being man of the series. I have never done that before and in fact only had one or two man-of-the-match awards before in my whole Test career. To be man of the series and get two man of the matches in such an important series, if that doesn't give you confidence, nothing will.

"Of course it will not be like that all the time. I know that. But to have that on your CV and know you delivered under pressure in tough conditions can only help. You always start on nought and all that stuff but there is confidence from what you have achieved."