Alec Stewart backs Strauss to continue as Test captain after Sri Lanka series – Cricket News Update
Former England captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964, insisting that the latter should not be stripped from Test captaincy as he feels the decision could bounce back on the Poms in
the future.
In his column for a leading UK daily, the 48-year-old former wicketkeeper batsman of England agreed that no player, whether captain or not, holds a guaranteed position in the side. However, he said that Strauss’ case is a bit different.
The former http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Surrey-c851 batsman said that keeping in view the immaculate captaincy record of the left-hander, he should be fully backed for the role.
"Whenever a player goes through a barren spell his position will obviously come under scrutiny but people should be careful in what they wish for,” wrote http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Stewart-c91370 in his column.
“Even if Strauss misses out with the bat again this week I still believe that the selectors must keep him in charge for the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 series at the start of summer," the former English skipper insisted.
Strauss’ individual form has come under scrutiny since England lost the Galle Test to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in the first
Ashes Test in Brisbane in November 2010.
The 75-run defeat in Galle, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 as world’s best Test side in August last year. A
defeat in Colombo this week will take the World No. 1 tag away from the Poms, as the Proteas will automatically take over.
Stewart said that with England on the verge of losing the top spot on ICC’s Test rankings, this is not the right time to get into any such debate and urged the pundits as well as the fans to back the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Middlesex-c817 star for the role, so that he could focus on
his game and defend the number one spot for them.
"Strauss is an astute individual, who sets high standards for both himself and his team. He will be fully aware that he is short of runs and that...England's position as the No.1 side in the world will be lost if they don't win this week's Colombo Test,"
Stewart said.
The second and final Test gets underway in Colombo tomorrow, April 3, 2012.
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