Summary "I do agree with the decision," Cook said. He declined to say why.
LONDON (AP) - Alastair Cook denied he gave an ultimatum to England management to relieve him of the captaincy if Kevin Pietersen was recalled, but agreed with Pietersen s extended exile from the team.
Cook s comments on Wednesday at Lord s, on the eve of the first test against New Zealand, were his first in public on the recent turmoil in English cricket. Former captain Andrew Strauss was appointed director of cricket and immediately sacked coach Peter Moores, and told Pietersen, discarded since the 2013-14 Ashes, that he would not be considered until after the summer campaign.
"I do agree with the decision," Cook said. He declined to say why.
"This has been going on for 15 or so months. We ve got to start really looking forward, we have to really, really focus on what s important to us (as players). For me, it s about leading the team out tomorrow at Lord s. All that external stuff over the last 10 or so days isn t important."
