Alastair Cook: I want to win the Ashes again Down Under

Alastair Cook wants to become one of England’s longest-serving captains after he targeted winning the Ashes in Australia for a second time.

Cook was the star of the 2010-11 triumph Down Under but was skipper for Australia’s 5-0 whitewash three years later. Ahead of the fifth Ashes Test at The Kia Oval, which starts tomorrow, Cook allowed himself to imagine putting that right in the 2017-18 campaign in Australia.

Regaining the urn this summer has been a remarkable turnaround for Cook, who took over as captain in August 2012. Australia were favourites before the series and had they justified that tag, it is probable Cook would have stepped down but so much has changed in little more than a month.

“It would be the ultimate, the absolute ultimate, to go Down Under again and try to do what we did in 2010-11,” said Cook, who will be 33 during the 2017-18 series.

“That was the culmination of a lot of hard work, of years growing as a side after winning the Ashes in England in 2009. This side have the potential to do that. But there’s a big difference between potential and actually doing it. Who knows what will happen [with my future]? My approach at the beginning of the summer was possibly to finish [as captain]. But I think the way the side have played and the step we’ve made has given me a bit more confidence as captain.”