Cook should quit captaincy and concentrate on batting says Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen, ousted from the England team by the new management with rumours floating that Alastair Cook also had a hand in his axing, says he has plenty of sympathy with the incumbent skipper, who is battling poor form with the bat and has led England to 10 consecutive winless Tests. But Pietersen has also advised his former skipper to give up captaincy and concentrate on getting his batting form back.

England last won a Test match against Australia during the 2013 Ashes series at home and has since then relinquished the crown, after being thrashed 5-0 during the away series in Australia. He then followed it by becoming the first ever England captain to lose a Test series at home to Sri Lanka (in a series spanning more than at least one Test) and is currently trailing India by a 1-0 margin with three Tests to play.

"Alastair Cook is enduring an experience I would not wish on my worst enemy," Pietersen wrote in his column for 'The Telegraph'. "But he should do what is right for England and resign from the captaincy. He has shown he does not have the tactical brain to lead the side," the former England batsman added.

Saying Cook had it in him to rival legendary batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, in terms of career runs scored, KP said England are missing Cook - the batsman. "England badly miss Cook the opening batsman scoring 150 to set games up at the top of the order and, relieved of the captaincy, I dont think it is too late for him to rediscover this form," he wrote.