Cricket: Cook insists places are up for grabs

11Jan 2013

Alastair Cook thinks the England players who shine in this month's one-day series against India will be in pole position to feature in the Champions Trophy later in the year.

Jonathan Trott, Graeme Swann, James Anderson and Stuart Broad will not feature in the five-match series and Cook has urged their replacements to stake their claim for a regular place in the side. England are 13/10 with bet365 to win the first match against India on Friday. "I don't know how many places are up for grabs but I'd say a lot of them are," said Cook, who is 11/4 to be England's top batsman in the opening clash. "Performances from people on this tour, if they perform really well, will mean it's really hard to leave out a player."