Young England bastman Alastair Cook is determined to take his game to the next level -- and that could spell bad news for India.
The Essex opener enjoyed a superb start to the summer, claiming the man of the match award in the drawn opening Test against the West Indies at Lord's with his fifth Test century and a 65 in the second innings.
The 22-year-old Cook went on to hit 42 at Headingley, and 60 and 106 at Old Trafford in England's emphatic series win, but is still not satisfied with his contribution.
"I'm trying to take my game to the next level and make sure I don't slip up too often in the 60s," stressed Cook. "I've done it a couple of times and I'm trying not to make too big a deal about it because next time I get there I might start thinking about it.
"I want to make a really big match-winning score, a big hundred to change a game and that's my next target. In the first 13 or 14 games for England I don't think I've timed the ball as well as I felt I could do.
"I scored some runs but it was more down to dogged determination than real timing. When I had those two months off I was trying to get that fluent timing back again and I'm trying to time the ball better."
The left-hander is aiming high. And this former captain of the England Under-19 side could yet be the man to replace Michael Vaughan as Test skipper in years to come.
He certainly made the right kind of start when he made his Test debut against India at Nagpur in March 2006. He cracked a beautiful century.
Cook had been selected for the England A tour of the West Indies in 2006 but before the series had begun he was called up to join the England Test squad in India when Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick were both forced to return home.
Cook was handed his debut - along with Ian Blackwell and Monty Panesar - in that first Test and after making 60 in the first innings made 104 not out on the fourth day to set up an overnight declaration.
India closed out the draw with just six wickets down mainly thanks to a ton from Wasim Jaffa, but Cook had made an impressive start.
England lost the second Test at Mohali and young Cook was sacrificed so missed the comeback at Mumbai which clinched a drawn series but had done enough to be considered when Pakistan came visiting that Summer.
Back-to-back hundreds against Pakistan cemented his place in the side and he was named Young Cricketer of the Year for the second time later that year.
Australia was not so pleasant, but then it wasn't for any of England's cricketers. Cook at least managed one century, in the second innings at Perth, but for the rest of the time he was exposed by Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee.
Not considered a One-Day player at least he could then rest during the World Cup, and has emerged fresh and full of runs this summer.
Now he wants more, so India, beware!
- Copyright PA Sport 2007
Also read:
- Dravid Vs Vaughan: Who will emerge victorious?
- Is Michael Vaughan England's greatest captain?
- Batting trio key to England chances
- Pietersen to keep it simple
- Monty has the 'appeal'
- Flintoff raring to return
- Donald steps up England pace
- Moores faces stiff challenges
