England have no concerns over Alistair Cook's ability to drop straight back in

Steven Finn believes England captain Alastair Cook will not be hindered by his lack of match practice on the subcontinent when he rejoins the squad just days before the first Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong.
England captain Alastair Cook and Steven Finn. Picture: Tim Goode/PAEngland captain Alastair Cook and Steven Finn. Picture: Tim Goode/PA
England captain Alastair Cook and Steven Finn. Picture: Tim Goode/PA

Cook travelled out to Bangladesh early to acclimatise to the conditions during England’s one-day series win over the Tigers before returning home for the birth of his second child.

It is anticipated he will return to the fold in time for the opening day of the first Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Thursday, but he has missed England’s two warm-up fixtures. Cook, though, has a sensational record in Asia with an average above 60, with eight hundreds, the first of which came on his Test bow in India 10 years ago following a last-minute dash there from the Caribbean.

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“I think you’d be a bit worried if it was someone who was less experienced, I suppose, and hadn’t experienced these conditions before and spent time in the middle because that’s important,” said Finn.

“The young guys who have spent time in the middle in these two games and through the one-day series will gain a lot of confidence and a good understanding of their game plan in these situations and these conditions.

“The amount of cricket that Cooky’s played in the subcontinent, I think he’ll fit back in seamlessly.”

While Finn played three of the four Tests in England’s last series against Pakistan over the summer, he was below his best and acknowledged he is not an automatic selection.

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England could experiment with three seamers and three spinners and Finn thinks Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes are ahead of him in the pecking order.

He said: “I think my job, and anyone on the fringe of the squad, is to keep pushing and trying to put your hand up to get in the team. We’ll be really well equipped to win this Test.”