England cricket coach Peter Moores insists he won't be party to taking the captaincy from Alastair Cook in a bid to get the opener back to his best form with the bat.
It is 24 innings since Cook scored the last of his England record 25 Test centuries, a sequence that includes the 100-run second Test defeat by Sri Lanka at Headingley on Tuesday that gave the tourists a 1-0 win in the two-match series.
But Moores said there was no question of Cook giving up the leadership of the side, even on a temporary basis, ahead of next month's home five-Test series against India.
"No, it wouldn't cross my mind," Moores said on Wednesday. "The key here is, does Alastair want to captain England? Yes, he desperately does want to."
After their 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia, England installed a new managing director, Paul Downton, a new chairman of selectors, James Whitaker, and recalled Moores for a second spell as head coach.
However, all three insisted it was vital Cook remained as captain.
England great Geoffrey Boycott insisted the trio's fear of being made to look foolish lay behind their continued support of Cook, much criticised for his tactics in the field at Headingley.
However, Moores insisted there was far more behind his backing for the 29-year-old Cook than blind faith and preserving a united front.
He said Cook had displayed leadership qualities even when, having already been dismissed, he was in in no position to directly influence England's rearguard action with the bat at Headingley. They were within sight of a draw before last man James Anderson was out to the second-last ball of the match.
"He (Cook) wasn't on the field but it was one of his best days as England captain because one of the challenges at this level is that is becomes so easy to go internal when things aren't going well. But he came in with one clear view to make sure that everybody knew we were going to fight and show spirit as a team.
"That was the job of everybody, whether you could influence the game or not ... the way he carried himself and the way he worked said something about him and his character and his appetite for the job.
"I look at that and the way he is talking in interviews. He has got a drive and a desire to build the team and put his own stamp on it.
Moores said it was just a matter of time before Cook came good again with the bat.
"If he gets himself into form, someone is going to pay."
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