On this day in 2011: Sir Alastair Cook named England ODI captain

England

Sir Alastair Cook was named as England’s new one-day international captain on this day in 2011, with Stuart Broad taking charge of the Twenty20 side.

Cook replaced Andrew Strauss, who retired from one-day cricket, while Broad took over from Paul Collingwood.

Essex opener Cook had been England’s standout batter during their Ashes success over the winter.

Strauss (right) stepped down as captain and retired from one-day cricket (Rebecca Naden/PA).
Strauss (right) stepped down as captain and retired from one-day cricket (Rebecca Naden/PA)

However, he had not been included in the subsequent one-day series against Australia or the 2011 World Cup, where England suffered a 10-wicket defeat to hosts Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals, which proved Strauss’ last stand.

Cook, who later also succeeded Strauss as Test captain, helped guide England to the top of the world rankings in 2012, having himself scored three ODI centuries that year.

England also went on to reach the final of the 2013 Champions Trophy, where they were defeated by India at Edgbaston.

England's Alastair Cook walks off dejected
Alastair Cook saw his one-day batting come under scrutiny (Simon Cooper/PA)

Cook, though, could not find a consistent winning formula in the 50-over format.

His individual form with the bat also came under scrutiny, having averaged just 27.52 in 20 ODI matches, as the England and Wales Cricket Board faced questions over Cook’s limited-overs role.

Following a 5-2 series defeat in Sri Lanka, Cook, having presided over 36 wins and 30 losses from 69 matches, was eventually replaced in December 2014 by Eoin Morgan, who also went on to become T20 captain after Broad.

Alastair Cook

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