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Cook past his best, says Waugh

Former Test batsman predicts opener to have tough Ashes series, says victory over England without Ben Stokes would be “a little bit hollow”

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh believes Alastair Cook could be set for a tough summer, declaring England's all-time leading run-scorer is not the batsman he used to be.

Having given up the Test captaincy earlier this year, Cook remains the most capped player in England's Magellan Ashes squad and the most successful visiting batsman in Australia this century.


But Waugh believes Cook, who moved passed the Australian into the top-10 on the all-time Test run-scoring charts in December, will struggle against Australia's vaunted pace attack.

"Cook will have a tough series, particularly against Mitchell Starc," Waugh told cricket.com.au.

"He's still a very good player but I don't think he's the player he was a couple of years ago.

"Having said that, he knows how to make runs and he's got an amazing record.

"But against Starc and (Josh) Hazelwood and (Pat) Cummins, they'll really test him out.

"He’ll have to be on his best game and for England to do well in this series, he needs to score a lot of runs and occupy the crease."

Waugh's word on Aussie Ashes vacancies

Along with his successor as Test skipper Joe Root, Cook looms as a vital ingredient in England's top-order given question remarks remain over who will fill a number of other spots in the batting line-up.

Headlined by a monster 243 against West Indies at Edgbaston, the veteran opener had a solid home summer (572 runs at 44 in seven matches against South Africa and the Windies) and his record Down Under stacks up better than any of his non-Australian contemporaries.

His 1288 Test runs in 15 Tests in Australia are more than any other visiting batsmen since the turn of the century, while only India maestro Virat Kohli has more centuries (five) than Cook's four over that period.

Waugh, however, points out that Cook hasn't recently been exposed to bowling attacks featuring the same quality of fast bowlers that Australia possess, and suggests facing the likes of Starc and Cummins on bouncier wickets will prove difficult.

Cook doubles up as Windies feel the heat

"That will be a challenge for him out here," said Waugh. "The last 12 months, he’s faced some attacks that are nowhere near the potency of this Australian attack, particularly on quicker wickets.

"He has the know-how and he's got the muscle memory and he knows he can score runs against anyone.

"But the big question is the swinging ball, if he gets knocked out a couple of times in the first Test match he’ll have some doubts in his mind.

"Australia will really focus in on Cook and Root at the top of the order, if they can knock those guys out cheaply than it does expose the middle order."

Whether Ben Stokes takes his place in that middle order remains up in the air, with the besieged allrounder not flying out to Australia with the rest of the England Test squad on the weekend as a police investigation into his involvement in a Bristol street brawl continues.

Waugh, who has previously stated the tourists stand next to no chance of retaining the urn without Stokes, believes an Australia victory over an England side not featuring the 26-year-old would bittersweet.

Steve Waugh's captaincy advice for Steve Smith

"You want to see the best teams play in the Ashes series, so I think even as players the Australian guys would have enjoyed the prospect of playing against Ben Stokes," the 168-Test veteran said.

"You want to test yourself against the best and in some ways it becomes a little bit hollow if you're not beating the best opposition side.

"You can only deal with what's put on the park, but it’d be a shame if he doesn’t come.

"The crowds would have enjoyed it, he would have got back into the crowd, there would have been a few verbals maybe a bit like Stuart Broad on the last tour.

"Ian Botham used to cop it. There's always one English player that comes in for a bit of stick and we might have to pick another player now if Ben Stokes doesn’t turn up."

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

Gillette T20 INTL Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21