England's all-time leading Test run-scorer says game should only resume when it can be played normally
Saturday 9 May 2020 09:35, UK
Sir Alastair Cook says the coronavirus-enforced break from cricket could extend his career with reigning county champions Essex.
No cricket has been played so far this summer due to the pandemic, with July 1 the earliest date the sport will resume, almost certainly behind closed doors.
A large chunk of the County Championship, which was due to begin over Easter, has been lost but Cook says the "strange" circumstances could mean he plays for longer.
"There are more important things than the County Championship. For me personally it would be a huge shame but it could mean I play a couple of years longer," Cook told Sky News.
"I got the bug back to carry on playing on the pre-season tour with Essex but you never know until you get back into it.
"It is strange - the first time for however long that there has not been a game of cricket anywhere in April and May. Hopefully when this all passes, we will realise how lucky we are."
England's all-time leading Test run-scorer believes his country could have only short breaks between games this summer as they look to complete an international schedule that is set to include games against West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Ireland.
Cook says he would be reluctant to change the rules over the maintaining of the ball post-coronavirus, with Australian manufacturer Kookaburra developing an applicator that would allow wax to be used instead of the usual sweat and saliva to keep one side of the ball shiny to aid swing.
"You can't play a Test match followed by a one or two-day break and then another Test match - but I think for what's happened here you might have to," added the former England captain.
"Just say cricket can start again in July then you want to get in as many fixtures as you can.
"If you weren't allowed to shine the ball and you put something in place which is totally different to what we are used to just to play cricket, I wouldn't think that would be right.
"There would always be a tinge of, 'well, he only scored runs or got wickets because you put wax on the ball'. If it means you have to delay another couple of weeks [so be it].
"It is important that when it is given the go ahead it's the game we all know, fell in love with, and can relate to. I don't see the value in tinkering with it."
