India v England: Alastair Cook has 'questions' about future

Alastair Cook says he has "questions" about his role as England Test captain, after admitting Joe Root is "ready" to be his successor.

Cook, skipper since 2012, watched as England lost four wickets for 13 runs on Monday to slump to an innings defeat and series loss against India.

The opener will discuss his role with director of cricket Andrew Strauss.

"You start having questions, of course you do," said Cook. "Naturally, you look at stuff."

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The 31-year-old, who expects to meet Strauss following the end of the current series in India, added: "I think Joe Root's ready to captain England. You never know until you actually experience it, because of everything that goes with the England captaincy.

"You're thrown in at the deep end and you either sink or swim. Nothing can really prepare you for it.

"But he's ready because he's a clued-up guy and he's got the respect of everyone in the changing-room. He hasn't got much captaincy experience, but that doesn't mean he can't be a very good captain."

Root's only senior leadership experience has come in county cricket for Yorkshire and as vice-captain to Cook since the summer of 2015.

England have lost four of their last five Test matches - and seven in total during the calendar year - but Cook has been told he will keep his job "as long as he wants it" by coach Trevor Bayliss.

"When you lose, the captain takes a lot of responsibility but he's got broad shoulders," Bayliss told Sky Sports.

"Over the past 12, 18 months we've seen improvements in the way he captains the team."

Cook, who captained England in Bangladesh in 2010 before taking on the role permanently in 2012, has won 24 of his 58 Tests in charge.

He has also overseen 21 Test defeats, including a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia in January 2014 and England's first Test loss to Bangladesh in October this year.