Alastair Cook backs Ben Stokes to recover from World Twenty20 defeat

Ben Stokes has the character to recover from England's World Twenty20 final loss, says Test captain Alastair Cook.

Stokes was hit for four consecutive sixes in the last over by Carlos Brathwaite as the West Indies beat England in a dramatic final on Sunday.

"He is an outstanding talent and an outstanding cricketer," said Cook.

"He is the type of character who will deal with it, and he will still be the Ben Stokes who can score 250 in a Test match," added the 31-year-old opener.

"It was outstanding hitting. 'Stokesy' would certainly have his first ball again but the second one wasn't too far off the mark and it went 94 metres back."

Cook admitted he was devastated by England's defeat, telling BBC Essex: "I don't normally get too emotional watching a game of cricket.

"It was a brilliant tournament for everyone, it's just a shame that last over didn't quite go to plan."

A new era for Essex

Cook's county, Essex, begin a new era under newly-appointed coach Chris Silverwood on Sunday against Gloucestershire.

The left-hander, England's leading run-scorer in Test cricket, is available to play in the Division Two opener at Chelmsford.

"In any elite sport you do need freshening up at certain times," Cook said. "I think it was fairly obvious after seven or eight years it was time for a change.

"We've been the nearly men for the last four or five years. We've been close to promotion a number of times.

"Everyone is excited about the beginning of the season. Every county will be thinking they've got the chance to have a good year."