Could stamp authority on England players with Flower's backing: Alastair Cook

'Soft spoken' Cook says he could stamp authority on Eng players with Flower's backing.

England's new Test captain Alastair Cook has said he wouldn't change as a man after being given the task to lead the team in the longest version of the game, and added that with the backing of coach Andy Flower, he can stamp his authority on the players in the dressing room.

Cook maintained that he still intends to bring a strong hand to the England tiller despite his soft-spoken manner.

"You cannot change who you are, the type of bloke you are. And you have to be authentic to yourself. I will be no different to how I have been as the one-day captain," the Daily Express quoted Cook, as saying when asked what kind of captain he would be.

"But I would say I am very lucky to be working with a guy like Andy. One of his best qualities is he's very, very strong-willed and knows what he wants. The players are conscious that there are no grey areas," he added.

"I have the utmost respect for him and it is very important that we do have a good relationship and continue with that. When you have good leaders at the top, with good relationships, we see what the results can be," he said.

The presence of Flower ensures the thread of continuity runs from Cook's predecessor, Strauss, into the new Test side.