Cook has to go, as England crash to a defeat, which was a record breaker. No side has ever made more in a first innings and still lose by more than an innings. England lose their last 6 wickets for 15 runs, just not good enough.

Indeed - need to get more recruits from inner city areas.

Cook will hopefully step aside from the captains roll and let someone else have a go.

If Cook goes and Root gets it ,does Cook stay on as a player only.An Ashes series next winterboth Cook and Root do not have good records in Australia.

Cook averages 49.5 in Australia!

I do think it's time for Cook to step down from the captaincy - I think it's affecting his mindset, and also his more defensive style isn't getting the best out of England's all rounders. He definitely should stay on as a batsman though. Clearly still England's best opener. By a mile.

Getting thumped in India by India was completely expected. The nature of the batting collapses is concerning - although the selections were poor. By the end we only had 3 proper batsmen playing! No need for wholesale changes, but some questions need to be asked.

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Root has played only played one series in Australia !

FWIW Root will become captain v.shortly, I'm certain of it.
I worry that like many other class acts however, that the captaincy will become a burden on his own game.

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I think one of the few positives from this series is the emergence of Hameed and Jennings.

If Cook did step down, I'd like to think he'd stay on as a player. Even by having a mediocre series with the bat, he's averaged 40 and remains a quality batsman.

Going into the summer with a top 5 of Cook, Hameed, Jennings, Root and Bairstow looks promising.

Below that, there's Ali, Stokes, Buttler, Woakes, Anderson and Broad.

In all I think that's a strong looking team.

I think with a few months off and time to regroup, that team could work well, particularly on home soil.

On the flatter pitches overseas, we'll struggle until we see a world class (or even just very good) spinner emerge. This was shown in this series.

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Yes that would probably be my team for the summer. Gives us more solidity at the top of the order, moves Root back to his best position, and would give us a better chance of having a solid (albeit a bit slow) start. I'm not 100% convinced by Jennings' footwork - he seems to get stuck sometimes, which could be problematic when the ball is swinging - but he did well in India and his record for Durham last year was exceptional, so he definitely deserves his chance next summer.

The only question mark is spin - clearly Moeen isn't a first choice spinner. Now we can get away with it in England, but he's not a long term solution. So, for the future, it might be time to select Mo as a batsman only (in which case who drops out - probably Buttler or Mo himself), and give Rashid a chance to establish himself as the main spinner (with Mo as a part time bowling option). He was England's best spinner this tour. Give him the chance to develop the consistency he would need on spin-unfriendly pitches, and then he might be a longer term solution. Oh - and hire a spin bowling coach!

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Our spinning attack was shown up when you compare them with the Indian spinners.

I hope Cook stays as Captain, top 4 is now sorted (when fit); Cook, Hameed, Jennings and Root.
Keep Bairstow as wickie, Stokes as all rounder. Ali as first choice spinner, seamers pick themselves (again when fit).

We're still in a good place just need to put India behind us, this team will become the Worlds best test team given time (and not playing in the sub continent)!

How can you say the top 4 is now sorted, after Jennings has just played one test match?

Because I know about cricket!
Class shines through....
Some know some don't.

Cook, Hameed, Jennings, Root is set for at least a couple of years (barring injuries and retirement).

Not if they continue to play like they did in the last test, will Cook continue, there must be some doubt.

Yet further humiliation, as we get soundly beat by India, in the various forms of international cricket. Next up the West Indies in March.

And Cook goes go. Right call by him in my opinion.

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*But wants to stay on as a player so if he can slide back into the ranks, i have no problem with that.

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Is he good enough to get into the team, probably as there isn't much competition to be honest.

And the fact he's clearly still one of England's best batsmen.

Right time for him to step down as captain though. No doubt it will be Joe Root - let's hope it has the same sort of effect it has had on the likes of Smith and Kohli

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I do have my concerns about Root getting the captaincy.

I just wonder whether he's the right personality for it and given his batting is potentially England's strongest asset, if it affects him negatively (as it has done other captains) it could be quite damaging for the team as a whole.

Then again, after Root, I'm not sure who else could be captain. There aren't many serious contenders.

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Yeah agree with you there. It would be a gamble with England's key player, who's never been a full time captain before. The panic which seemed to creep into his batting in the India T20s was slightly concerning

As for other options, Stokes is probably too hot headed. I personally would be tempted to have a look at Broad - guaranteed his place when fit, main bowler nowadays, fiercely competitive, and seems intelligent, and has captained the T20 team in the past. Would give Root a few more years of vice captaincy - he would get the gig occasionally anyway with the rotation of bowlers which goes on. Would also avoid the question of ODI and T20 captaincy, which has been going on a steady upward trend under Morgan. Saying that, Broad can be a bit hot headed too, particularly when it comes to wanting to review...!

And that's about it in terms of contenders that I can think of!

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The good thing about Cook hanging about, is that he'll be good for Root whilst he's finding his feet as captain.

If Bairstows keeping had been more consistent he may have came into the selectors minds as a possible captain, but for now he just needs to concentrate on that part of his game.

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Bushead - I'm looking for some cheap steel - can you sort me out?

Spot on but it had to be his decision.
It's a decision he'd earned the right to have imo.
Cookie will help Rooooot with the Captaincy in the future.

Batting still looking strong, there's a few question marks in the bowling though.

Again agreed, Chris Woakes could be interesting too but they'll go for Root and it's very difficult to argue against that.

Why of course

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Bairstow's place must be under threat from Billings.

Wow what a test match yesterday. Brave decision by England to declare giving the West Indies a slight chance of a win which they took. The real winners are test cricket.

So how do you think the Ashes will go that start tonight? I can't see anything but as Aussie win, as our side looks so inexperienced.

We haven't won in Brisbane since 1986 so a draw here will be a positive.
Adelaide is a Day/night test so will suit the England bowlers because it is bound to swing.

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Anybody planning to stay up and watch the cricket? I'll probably stay up to 3 or 4am as I have work tomorrow.