England captain Alastair Cook admitted his side had more "questions then answers" confronting them after a 3-1 one-day international series defeat by India.However, England did at least spare themselves the embarrassment of a whitewash by the world champions with a 41-run victory at Headingley on Friday.
oe Root's career-best 113 on his Yorkshire home ground was the backbone of England's total of 294 for seven which at last gave their long-suffering bowlers a target they could be expected to defend.
And, after James Anderson took two early wickets, that is exactly what they did despite the dashing strokeplay of Ravindra Jadeja (87) and Ambati Rayudu (53).
It was a win England, and especially embattled skipper Cook, desperately needed.
Cook has spent much of this season answering questions about his future as England captain.
Several former England skippers called on him to quit during the preceding Test series with India, only for Cook to lead his side to a 3-1 series win.
But the likes of Michael Vaughan have now turned their attention to Cook's one-day form, arguing the orthodox left-handed opener is ill-suited to the white ball game and the wrong man to lead England at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in six months' time.
England have a diet of only limited overs cricket between now and the World Cup, starting with a seven-match ODI tour of Sri Lanka -- who triumphed in both Test and one-day series action in the early part of this English season.
Asked if he had been told if he would be in charge for the Sri Lanka tour, Cook said Friday: "No, I haven't."
England came into this match on the back of a nine-wicket hammering at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
Reflecting on the change between games, Cook said: "We did a lot of things very well, and a lot of things we know we had to do and haven't been doing in previous games -- like one of those guys, top four or five going on and getting a big score, and then the others can support him.
"Rooty obviously was the difference. It was a fantastic hundred ... to score a run-a-ball on that wicket. You saw a lot of the other guys struggle to do that.
"If we do that, we're a tough side to beat."
(NDTV Sports)
