We've got to move on from their unimportant sideshow: Alastair Cook

England Test skipper Alastair Cook wants to move out of the ‘unimportant sideshow’ regarding the omission of the England’s spearhead James Anderson for the opening Test match against Pakistan at Lord’s.

“A lot has been blown out of proportion,” Cook said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t play the greatest game of cricket. So then people start jumping on things which were less important, but became more so because we lost.”

He said that all these speculations are because the team lost and if it was not the case, the story wouldn’t have blown up like it has been. “If we’d played really good cricket, and won the game – and the 11 guys were certainly capable of that – then that story wouldn’t be blown up like it has been.”

“It’s happened. It was a slightly messy affair, no one intended it to be like that and we’ve got to move on, and play better cricket. It’s been a bit of a sideshow – an unimportant sideshow, really,” he quoted.

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Anderson and Ben Stokes will return to the squad for the second Test match at Old Trafford as England aim to level the series. “It’s great to have Jimmy back. He’s an outstanding bowler, it’s great to have him fully fit,” Cook said. “If he’d bowled 30 overs and really hurt his shoulder, and was out again, we’d all be sitting here and be disappointed with that decision.”

“In hindsight, he could have played that game – because obviously, he went and played for Lancashire and got through that. We probably erred on the side of caution, and have to hope we now have him for three games,” Cook concluded on a positive note.