Joe Root: Alastair Cook's experience will be vital for England, says new captain

England Test captain Joe Root says having predecessor Alastair Cook in the side will be integral to both his and the team's future success.

Root, 26, replaced Cook after the opener resigned as skipper in February following a record 59 games in charge.

"If I feel I need help he'll be more than willing, but he'll also let me do it my own way," Root told BBC Sport.

Meanwhile, bowler James Anderson, 34, said he does not intend to retire after next winter's Ashes series.

When asked whether he would quit after a successful tour down under, the Lancashire swing bowler told BBC Sport: "I don't think so. If we win the Test series I'll be over the moon. It means we will have had an amazing year. But right now I have no interest in stopping."

On ex-skipper Cook in the team

JR: "I think Cook will be great. He's done a fantastic job and I've inherited a side that's so settled - he has to take a lot of credit for that.

"I've got fantastic senior players. Alastair is a great person to go to - he will let me get on with it and do it my own way.

"It's in his DNA to help the rest of the guys out. He always led from the front which is what made him such a great leader. If he's firing on all cylinders with the bat then we'll be in a good position at the end of the summer."

JA: "I think the dynamic with Joe will work quite well. I saw Alastair in Dubai during pre-season. He seems in a good place. He's focused on his batting.

"Root is a young captain. He's got an aggressive and attacking style. To have Cook in the team with his experience during that first three to six months... to have guidance from him is the perfect opportunity for him to develop."

More T20 at the expense of Test cricket?

The England and Wales Cricket Board announced this week that a new domestic T20 competition will start in 2020. It also launched All Stars Cricket - with the aim of providing children aged five to eight with their first taste of cricket.

JA: "I think we're doing the right thing. The All Stars project is targeting the right age group. Meanwhile, T20 is good for cricket in general. It's key to give it another push. The game in England hasn't changed much in last 15 years, so I think the right people are doing the right thing at the moment.

"You see how T20 competitions and the Big Bash [in Australia] have taken off. The Test matches aren't filling grounds. I'm not sure what the answer is. There's the hope that administrations will look at that - making sure Test cricket doesn't fall away and T20 grows. Test cricket is the pinnacle. It's the toughest test mentally. There's a huge place for it still.

JR: "You speak to the majority of players playing and they say their true passion is to play Test cricket.

"Guys will always want to play the longer format. [Regarding the All Stars] Yes, it's more making sure they're involved in the sport. As they develop and grow they might start to enjoy the longer format. The Ashes, and when India and South Africa come over here shows that people want to see Test cricket being played."