Ashley Giles says Alastair Cook's form big worry ahead of WC

London: England's former coach Ashley Giles has said that current captain Alastair Cook's form is a big worry ahead of the World Cup, that would be hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand next year.

Cook said that he would have to wait and see if he would keep the captaincy after England were thrashed 5-2 in an ODI series against Sri Lanka.

Giles said that Cook simply isn't playing that well, adding that the skipper is under pressure, The BBC reported.

Meanwhile, England selectors James Whitaker , Peter Moores, Angus Fraser and Mick Newell would announce a 16-man squad on Saturday for a tri-series next month in Australia against the host nation and India.

Head coach Moores said that Cook's position would be reviewed this week.

Giles said that Cook, who has scored 119 runs in six matches in Sri Lanka, with a top score of 34, has not been playing that well for a year and going into a World Cup a team's leader is important.

But he added that so is having 15 players in that squad who can perform and win games for England.

Cook has been England's ODI team captain since 2011 and was appointed Test captain the following year.

Giles, England's limited-overs coach from November 2012 to April 2014, added that he believes there's still some discussion to be had and from the sort of the whispers they are hearing from the camp clearly the selectors are not 100 percent sure.

England's 15-man World Cup squad has to be named by January 7, with their first match against Australia on 14 February, the report added.