Embattled Alastair Cook survives for lack of an alternative

England, which has often copied Australia in its attitude towards selection, appears to be ready to follow what one might call the Allan Border route.

In other words, no matter how few runs its captain Alastair Cook makes or how many Tests he loses, he is safe from what he calls the tap on the shoulder and will remain in charge.

Border survived long spells of defeat during the late 1980s and early 1990s and made frequent low scores but remained in charge because the selectors were convinced no-one else was good enough to lead Australia into a Test. The England selectors have the same belief, so Cook, defeated at Lord’s when all the factors were in his favour, remains in charge.

Cook seems to have the same belief in himself. He said after the defeat in the second Test that he was “desperate to turn things round” and half way to the next Test in this crowded series, just 42 days long, there is no signal that there is peril ahead for captain Cook.

He must have expected the sack at any moment in the last few weeks. After all, it happened 28 years ago to another left-handed batsman whose winning touch deserted him.

In 1986, I was a close witness to the sacking of David Gower in circumstances so similar that last weekend’s Test might have been scripted.

Gower had led a victorious side against Australia but had been crushed 5-0 in the Caribbean by West Indies then at their most powerful. The chairman of selectors Peter May, a record-breaking batsman in his pomp and a forthright, determined chairman of selectors who once sacked seven England players and said with a tone of regret “you can’t get rid of everyone, can you?”

He ordered Gower, an easy-going man, to show more presence on the field and Gower ran to the middle waving his arms. When his team lost at Lord’s to Kapil Dev’s side, May sent him packing, without consulting anyone.

I doubt if anyone would be so bold now. In those days the staff at the Test and County Cricket Board was tiny and no-one stood in the way of May. In his seven years as chairman of the selectors his word was law and there was no appeal.

Gower, ever the gentleman, thanked his team, told Mike Gatting, his successor and now president of MCC, to ring him if he had a problem and went off to the end-of-match press conference when there were few questions about his sacking and no attempt to speak to Gatting.

Twenty-eight years on, the world of cricket is vastly different. The press is more aggressive and layers of officials mean that a Peter May could no longer act as he did then and besides, what would the sponsors’ think?

The new chief selector is James Whitaker, who has only been in place this summer and who is more a conciliator than a hire ‘em and fire ‘em chairman. He was a fringe international player; in comparison May was a sporting god, captain of England 41 times.

Where does England go from here? Into a long period in sackcloth and ashes, with England forever changing its team and losing series it should win. There is no obvious successor to Cook but, if the side continues to lose, a new captain may have to be found and quickly.

It is India’s good luck it is here at the beginning of what maybe England’s worst time in living memory. Oh, for a strong man like May to set things right or a Border character to put up a more warlike front than the Cook without a convincing recipe.