Alastair Cook may already be breaking England batting records, but there's a lot more to come from the determined captain, Sir Ian Botham told Sky Sports.
Focus
Nick Knight was equally impressed with the England skipper and believes Cook's approach of focusing on one ball at a time, although a simple idea, is essential to his run-making.
"Inevitably people around the world will try to come up with some numbers and ask how great he can be and how many runs he will end up getting but I don't think he'll think like that - and that's one of his great strengths," said the former England batsman.
"Cook's not concerned about how many runs he's going to end up with, he just plays ball after ball, innings after innings. To those who have not played the game, particularly not at the highest level, to hear someone say 'I just play ball after ball' seems a very basic and simple thing to do. In fact, when you're out there, in the heat of the moment, it's a very difficult thing to do.
"People talk about mental strength and what it is - to me that's exactly what it is: the ability to forget what's gone before. He was dropped and had a bit of a working over from Ishant Sharma but he put that to the back of his mind and played the next ball.
"We talk about temperament and it's one of his greatest assets. You run out of superlatives to describe the way he's playing at the moment. He's developing his game constantly but when he's out there he's the height of simplicity.
"I'm full of praise for him because it's incredibly difficult to do what he's doing."
Settled
Nick Compton posted his maiden Test half-century was happy to play a supporting role to Cook but Knight says his contribution to the innings bodes extremely well for the future.
"He's got the best seat in the house; he's watching Alistair Cook and developed. And I hope in a few years' time we are sitting here saying exactly the same things about Nick Compton," said Knight.
"He's a lot going for him. He's settled into Test cricket and he gets better every innings. With that half-century he will sleep well tonight and say not that 'I've arrived in Test cricket', but 'I can do this, in sub-continent cricket. Yes, it was against a fairly weary attack. But I can do this'.
"And sometimes when you play Test cricket you have to convince yourself that you can do it. People will tell you, but you have to convince yourself."
Botham added: "Remember this guy is developing quickly. He does not even open for Somerset - he bats three or four - so he is taking a big step up and he is handling it very well."
