Shane Warne condemns 'boring' Cook and tips Australia for Ashes
• Alastair Cook accused of 'negative' approach by Shane Warne
• Warne attacks Ricky Ponting over Michael Clarke jibes
Shane Warne has strongly criticised Alastair Cook, saying that England could lose the Ashes this winter if their captain continues his "negative, boring, not very imaginative" approach to Test cricket.
The former Australia leg-spinner first complained about Cook's tactics last summer, prompting Andy Flower to insist the Englishman was "a strong leader" whose "captaincy has been excellent" and Stuart Broad to accuse Warne of "trash-talking" and insist England "are not listening to what he says". Warne, however, has not reconsidered.
"It's all about the brand and style of cricket you want to play and what you stand for as a captain," Warne said. "I'm just telling it the way I see it. If it offends people, ignore it. At the end of the day it's all about winning. He can be negative, boring, not very imaginative, and still win and be happy. But I'll tell you my opinion: I think Alastair Cook has to be more imaginative. I think if Australia play well and he continues to captain the way he does, England will lose the series."
"He lets the game drift. He waits for the game to come to him. If I look at the best captains I played with and the best captains around the world, they got the best out of their team, and they always challenged sides. Stephen Fleming of New Zealand, and Brendan McCullum now – he's a good captain, he's imaginative. Mark Taylor was fantastic, Allan Border, Michael Clarke to me is the best captain in the world at the moment, because he's got a lot of imagination.
He's not proactive, is a better word than negative. England have got some quality bowlers and over a period of time they'll take wickets but, if they're not having a very good day, there's no imagination, no out-thinking the opposition. He's just going to stand there and let the bowlers bowl. I don't like that style of captaincy and when you're playing the best teams in the world, it won't hold up.
"I think in the last few Tests of the last series there were enough encouraging signs for Australia to say, 'We're not far away.' Fast forward to this series, on Australian soil, in Australian conditions, and I think England have to play the best cricket they possibly can to win. I think if they don't, or if Australia don't allow them to play well, I think Australia will win."
Warne believes that England have made a faltering start to their defence, having "really missed a trick" by leaving out Graham Onions in favour of "a few bowlers who are very similar" in Boyd Rankin, Chris Tremlett and Steven Finn. "If something happens to James Anderson I'm not sure who's going to replace him," Warne said. "You want a like-for-like bowler rather than four giants who just bang it into the wicket."
He also contends that Joe Root should drop back into the middle order, allowing Michael Carberry to open with Cook. Root's brilliant 180 in the second Test at Lord's was one of the highlights of the last series, but the 22-year-old scored 16 runs or fewer in seven of his 10 Ashes innings last summer, and Warne believes that "Australia really have got his number".
"I think the No6 spot is a bit of a weak link in the side," Warne added. "Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Root and Prior at seven is a strong middle order and I think that looks better than Root at the top, then Bairstow or one of the other guys at No6. Root played well at Lord's, when Australia had a bit of a horror, but I don't think he's an opener because his technique is not tight enough and I think Australia found him out.
"He's a good player of the field, a manipulator of the spinners, a good worker. I think he's a perfect No6. As an opener I think he's going to nick off a lot, and we saw in England that Australia really did have his number. Carberry's better suited to opening than Root and it's a better balanced side without [Jonny] Bairstow, who had plenty of chances in the Ashes and just didn't do enough. I know England like to stick with their team, but sometimes you've got to think: 'Is there a better option?' In my opinion there is. I think Australia would fancy their chances with Root opening the batting and Bairstow at No6."
• Alastair Cook accused of 'negative' approach by Shane Warne
• Warne attacks Ricky Ponting over Michael Clarke jibes
Shane Warne has strongly criticised Alastair Cook, saying that England could lose the Ashes this winter if their captain continues his "negative, boring, not very imaginative" approach to Test cricket.
The former Australia leg-spinner first complained about Cook's tactics last summer, prompting Andy Flower to insist the Englishman was "a strong leader" whose "captaincy has been excellent" and Stuart Broad to accuse Warne of "trash-talking" and insist England "are not listening to what he says". Warne, however, has not reconsidered.
"It's all about the brand and style of cricket you want to play and what you stand for as a captain," Warne said. "I'm just telling it the way I see it. If it offends people, ignore it. At the end of the day it's all about winning. He can be negative, boring, not very imaginative, and still win and be happy. But I'll tell you my opinion: I think Alastair Cook has to be more imaginative. I think if Australia play well and he continues to captain the way he does, England will lose the series."
"He lets the game drift. He waits for the game to come to him. If I look at the best captains I played with and the best captains around the world, they got the best out of their team, and they always challenged sides. Stephen Fleming of New Zealand, and Brendan McCullum now – he's a good captain, he's imaginative. Mark Taylor was fantastic, Allan Border, Michael Clarke to me is the best captain in the world at the moment, because he's got a lot of imagination.
He's not proactive, is a better word than negative. England have got some quality bowlers and over a period of time they'll take wickets but, if they're not having a very good day, there's no imagination, no out-thinking the opposition. He's just going to stand there and let the bowlers bowl. I don't like that style of captaincy and when you're playing the best teams in the world, it won't hold up.
"I think in the last few Tests of the last series there were enough encouraging signs for Australia to say, 'We're not far away.' Fast forward to this series, on Australian soil, in Australian conditions, and I think England have to play the best cricket they possibly can to win. I think if they don't, or if Australia don't allow them to play well, I think Australia will win."
Warne believes that England have made a faltering start to their defence, having "really missed a trick" by leaving out Graham Onions in favour of "a few bowlers who are very similar" in Boyd Rankin, Chris Tremlett and Steven Finn. "If something happens to James Anderson I'm not sure who's going to replace him," Warne said. "You want a like-for-like bowler rather than four giants who just bang it into the wicket."
He also contends that Joe Root should drop back into the middle order, allowing Michael Carberry to open with Cook. Root's brilliant 180 in the second Test at Lord's was one of the highlights of the last series, but the 22-year-old scored 16 runs or fewer in seven of his 10 Ashes innings last summer, and Warne believes that "Australia really have got his number".
"I think the No6 spot is a bit of a weak link in the side," Warne added. "Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Root and Prior at seven is a strong middle order and I think that looks better than Root at the top, then Bairstow or one of the other guys at No6. Root played well at Lord's, when Australia had a bit of a horror, but I don't think he's an opener because his technique is not tight enough and I think Australia found him out.
"He's a good player of the field, a manipulator of the spinners, a good worker. I think he's a perfect No6. As an opener I think he's going to nick off a lot, and we saw in England that Australia really did have his number. Carberry's better suited to opening than Root and it's a better balanced side without [Jonny] Bairstow, who had plenty of chances in the Ashes and just didn't do enough. I know England like to stick with their team, but sometimes you've got to think: 'Is there a better option?' In my opinion there is. I think Australia would fancy their chances with Root opening the batting and Bairstow at No6."
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