Alastair Cook admits to almost quitting
Britain Cricket - England v Pakistan - Investec Test Series Preview Press Conference - Lord's - 7/7/16 England's Alastair Cook during the press conference Reuters/Peter Cziborra

England’s cricket team captain Alastair Cook admitted that he came close to resigning three times as the team captain, but is now looking forward to leading the team to Ashes victory on Australian soil in 2017-2018.

“I’ve lived on the edge for quite a number of years as a captain in terms of wanting to jack it in and questions about the job,” Cook, 31, told The Sun. “There were times when I thought I’d go, for sure.”

Though Cook enjoyed success, both individually and as a team, after taking over from Andrew Strauss as test skipper in 2012, it hasn’t been all smooth.

Daily Mail Online reports that one of those trying moments was England’s 5-0 whitewash defeat at the hands of Australia in 2013-2014.

Another is probably England’s defeat to India at Lord’s in 2014.

Last year, Cook had the resolve to step down, deciding during the series with New Zealand that the visit of Australia later in the summer would be his last as captain.

His mind changed, though, after the team won the two opening Tests, paving the way for a 3-2 Ashes series win.

Cook, who recently became the first England player to pass 10,000 Test runs, said that winning the two Tests in 10 days made him think that “this side has so much potential and I still want to be part of it.”

He is still willing to step down as captain, though, if he sees that the team is getting stale or bored with him and “the next generation is pushing on.”

But right now, the players are still responding to him. Cook and the team are pushing on together and trying on new things.

He is now looking forward to leading the England cricket team to Ashes victory in Australia in 2017-2018.