Gatting backs Cook to lead England's Ashes 'fight-back' in Adelaide Test

Former England batsman Mike Gatting has backed Alastair Cook to lead his side to a fight-back in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.

According to the Mirror, a hammering at the Gabba followed by the departure of his dependable No.3, Jonathan Trott, has left him and England scrambling for Ashes survival after just one Test match.

Mike Gatting knows just how tough a tour of Australia can be but he took the urn back home following a 2-1 series win in 1986-87 and believes England can do the same if the rest of the team follow the skipper's lead, the report said.

Gatting said that the team needed to regroup and get behind the captain, who will get them ready to take on the challenge again in Adelaide.

Cook stood up to the Aussie pace attack in the second innings in Brisbane, batting for almost four hours for his 65 runs, the report added.

Gatting further said that the part of the reason Cook had been so good as a captain was because he had led from the front with the bat and had made sure his performance was as good as it could be.