Sydney, Jan 4 (IANS) Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook has expressed interest in joining the national team’s coaching set-up at some point in his life, saying he would like to “try and make a difference” to the national set-up.

Cook’s comments came after former England opener Michael Atherton suggested in The Times and Sky Sports Cricket Podcast that the former could be considered for an assistant coach position in the wake of England’s Ashes series defeat under head coach Brendon McCullum.

“The only thing I will say about it is the article needed to be 800 words and Mike Atherton had done 600 and used the final 200 and threw something in. Look, at some stage in my life, would I like to be involved in the England cricket team? I think I would like to try and make a difference.

“I don’t know whether that is the next bit or whatever. At the moment there are people in jobs and all that kind of stuff. And there has been zero contact. Zero in it. Let’s just see,” said Cook on TNT Sports during day one’s play in the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Cook retired from international cricket in 2018 with 12,472 runs and a record 33 centuries, establishing himself as one of England’s most successful batters in a career worth 161 Tests. He also captained England in 59 matches, winning 24 games, while losing 22 and drawing 13 matches.

He compiled a formidable record on Australian soil during his playing career, amassing 1,664 runs in 20 Tests at an average of 48.94, including five centuries and an unbeaten 244 as his highest score, apart from playing an instrumental role in England’s 2010/11 Ashes triumph in the country by scoring 766 runs in five matches.

–IANS

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