Nasser Hussain has reiterated his determination to continue as England's Test captain as the World Cup team arrived back at Heathrow this morning.
Hussain wants to captain England this summer, and will be available to tour Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the West Indies next winter, whether or not he keeps his job as skipper.
Hussain spoke to reporters after emerging from flight SA226 from Johannesburg, and was greeted with applause and a couple of shouts of `Good old Nasser' from supporters.
Hussain faced the cameras and microphones, saying he was "just wanting to get home after five months away." He insisted he had no regrets about his decision to quit as one-day captain after England's elimination from the first stage of the World Cup.
"I had to play in both forms of cricket and captain both forms," he said. "I had five months away from home and you just can't do everything. A lot of that went into my decision.
"I don't like giving away any side, but one-day cricket and me haven't got on
very well recently. The reason I did it was to carry on as captain in the Test match arena. I made my decision throughout the winter."
He refused to be drawn on the issue of who should succeed him as one-day captain. "It's nothing to do with me. It's up to the selectors to decide."
But he repeated that he hopes to continue as Test captain. "I would like to carry on for a long while yet. I've got some unfinished business," he added.
"My form has been very good. I want to get the Test side back to where it was
in the past and my captaincy record speaks for itself. I would like to play 100 Tests, it's been an ambition of mine. Whether this is as captain or not is up to the selectors."
Describing England's World Cup campaign as "frustrating", Hussain nonetheless wished Zimbabwe well for the rest of the competition and hoped their Test team would still come to England during the summer.
"I hope they have a good run in the World Cup. I wish them well for the rest of the tournament and I hope they come over here," he added.
"They have got Test matches at Durham and Lord's and I hope they come, I'm sure they will. We always play good Test matches against them and we get on well with their players. I hope we can continue our friendly rivalry against them."