The highly anticipated first Test of the Ashes series between arch-rivals Australia and England concluded in just two days as the hosts clinched an eight-wicket win to go one up. Ahead of the second Test in Brisbane\u2019s Gabba, the England Lions will play a two-day pink-ball Test against the Prime Minister\u2019s XI, and Cook, like several other pundits, opined that the senior men\u2019s team shall play the game rather than the Lions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Writing in his Sunday Times column, Cook, who finished as England\u2019s leading run-scorer in their last Ashes win in Australia in 2010-11, stated, \u201cIn this situation, I would want to go and play in the pink-ball game against the Prime Minister's XI in Canberra, not just leave it to the Lions players. It can be an uncomfortable decision as you are opening yourself up to failing again, but putting yourself under pressure can have long-term benefits. However much you practise in the nets, you cannot replicate the feeling of time in the middle.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The highly anticipated first Test of the Ashes series between arch-rivals Australia and England concluded in just two days as the hosts clinched an eight-wicket win to go one up. Ahead of the second Test in Brisbane\u2019s Gabba, the England Lions will play a two-day pink-ball Test against the Prime Minister\u2019s XI, and Cook, like several other pundits, opined that the senior men\u2019s team shall play the game rather than the Lions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThat's how it was done a long time ago. We prepare incredibly well. We work incredibly hard every single day that we get the opportunity to work on our game, and that's what we'll keep on doing because we believe and we trust in our process. If the results don't go the way in our favour, that's not going to differ from that (sic) because, hand on heart, we know that we put every little bit or ounce of ourselves into our training, and we know and believe that this is the best way for this team to operate,\u201d Stokes had told reporters after the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n