Cook happy to make domestic comeback following 'much-needed' break

England Test captain Alastair Cook has said that he is happy to make his comeback to domestic cricket after a much-needed break with his family following a disastrous winter for the team.

The flop winter season saw England lose 5-0 to Australia in the return Ashes, the dropping of batsman Jonathan Trott midway through the series, the retirement of Graeme Swann, the resignation of Andy Flower, the axing of Kevin Pietersen and finally a miserable West Indian tour and World Twenty20 campaign.

According to The Guardian, Cook made his comeback for county side Essex, which is playing at the Cambridge University Cricket Ground's or Fenner's, following a much-needed break, during which he took himself back to the farm, packed away his cricket kit and held his wife's hand through birth to their first child, a daughter.

Despite taking a paternity leave, Cook picked up his career with domestic first-class cricket and the captain said that he is happy to be back on field after the break, which was very necessary especially given their disastrous winter, adding that he needed to get back to his life outside cricket as the performance was taking a certain toll on him.

Stating that he felt like his own performance was undermined by the team's flop, Cook further said that in the long run, a player needs to warrant his place in the team, for which he has comeback to play for Essex.