Bob Willis 'amazed' with Cook not consulting ex batting mentor Gooch

Former England skipper Bob Willis has said that he is amazed that skipper Alastair Cook has not consulted his mentor Graham Gooch since the Essex and England great was axed as the team's batting coach three months ago.

Willis is surprised that Cook, who averages a dismal 14.33 in Test cricket this year, has not consulted coach Gooch, who helped him score over 8,000 international runs before being recently axed.

Willis is surprised that Cook, who phoned Gooch to tell him he was being ditched as England's batting coach, has not continued to use him as a consultant, The Mirror reported.

Willis said that there has been this bright new dawn in English cricket, although they are still waiting for the sunrise, and added that coach Andy Flower has gone, national selector Geoff Miller and England managing director Hugh Norris have gone.

Willis further added that Kevin Pietersen has gone and Gooch has gone; Cook and bowling coach David are just about the only survivors from last winter.

Willis, who took 325 Test wickets for England, said that in his opinion the last thing Cook, Peter Moores, Paul Downton and James Whitaker want to be seen doing is to turn back the page after only four Tests.

However, he added that for an individual thing like batting, there is no harm in consulting trusted allies.

Willis said that if Cook has not spoken to Gooch about his batting for months, he is very surprised and the skipper in his current predicament would do well to seek out his old mentor.

Willis added that if he were in Cook's shoes right now, he would swallow a bit of pride and pick up the phone to Gooch.