England coach Peter Moores has insisted he won't be a party to taking the captaincy off Alastair Cook in a bid to get the opener back to his best form with the bat.
It is now 24 innings since Cook scored the last of his England record 25 Test centuries, a sequence that includes the 100-run second Test defeat by Sri Lanka at Headingley on Tuesday that gave the tourists a two-match series 1-0.
But Moores said there was no question of Cook giving up the leadership of the side, even on a temporary basis, ahead of the start of next month's five-Test series at home to India.
"No it wouldn't cross my mind," Moores said Wednesday. "The key here is, does Alastair want to captain England? Yes he desperately does want to."
After their 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia, England installed a new managing director in Paul Downton, a new, a new chairman of selectors in James Whitaker and recalled Moores for a second spell as head coach.
However, all three insisted it was vital Cook remained as England captain.
England great Geoffrey Boycott insisted the trio's fear of being made to look foolish lay behind their continued support of Cook, much criticised for his tactics in the field at Headingley.
However, Moores insisted there was far more behind his backing for the 29-year-old Cook than blind faith and preserving a united corporate front.
The former Sussex wicketkeeper said Cook had displayed leadership qualities even when, having already been dismissed, he was in in no position to directly influence England's rearguard action with the bat at Headingley that saw them to within sight of a draw before last man James Anderson was out to Tuesday's penultimate ball of the match.
