Boycott rules out Cook ever making it as 'tactical captain'

Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott is reportedly of the opinion that Alastair Cook would not make it as a 'tactical captain'.

England skipper Cook was slammed after his side surrendered a strong position on the opening day of the second Test against India at Lord's as the visitor's recovered from 145-7 to reach 290-9 at the close, on a pitch helpful to bowlers.

Boycott said that Cook might make it scoring runs, but he would not make it as a tactical captain, The BBC reported.

Boycott was particularly critical of the tactic at Lord's of Liam Plunkett bowling short and round the wicket at the Indian batsmen. He said that England lost the plot twice, once when Plunkett had to go round the wicket on a pitch which is doing something because they could not get enough balls in good areas to make the batsmen play at the ball.

Boycott said that it is down to the skipper and bowler, adding that Cook has to accept some responsibility.

Secondly, the former batman said that England finished up with three men on the boundary for the hook and that should not have been the case as the pitch is still green.

Once England take India's final wicket, Cook would open the batting for England hoping to reverse a run of form which has seen him score only 606 runs in his last 13 Tests at an average of 24.24.

Boycott, who scored 8,114 runs in 108 Tests between 1964 and 1982, said that if the skipper fails twice he should drop himself and go back to Essex and get some runs, adding that Cook can then come back as captain if they want him, but certainly as a batsman because with 25 Test hundred's he is that good.

Boycott further said that everything about England at the moment is about whether Cook can score runs, adding that it cannot go on forever.