England v Sri Lanka: Alastair Cook shrugs off criticism of captaincy

First Test: England v Sri Lanka

Coverage: Ball-by-ball Check Match Special commentary on BBC Radio five live sports additional, BBC Radio four Long Wave and by BBC Sport web-site, BBC Sport app & BBC iPlayer Radio app; live text commentary on BBC Sport web-site & mobiles

England skipper Alastair Cook is not concerned about criticism of his captaincy, and says they is proud to continue leading the team.

The 29-year-old endured a hard winter as England lost 5-0 in Australia.

But Cook told BBC Sport they does not feel as though they is on trial ahead of the first Check against Sri Lanka at Lord's, which starts on Thursday.

"I am concentrating on doing the job the best I can," they said. "If people need to criticise, they criticise."

Cook is at the forefront of a new period in English cricket, with Peter Moores preparing for the first Check match of his second stint as coach.

Moores, 51, replaced Andy Flower following the Ashes whitewash, after which there were some calls for Cook to resign as captain.

The Essex batsman said criticism was "the nature of the beast" of being a professional sportsman.

They added: "I am very privileged to be England captain. I am liking doing it but if it no longer happens, then that is the way it is.

"But I will be very proud to stay England captain. I am liking doing it and all I try and do every day is my best."

Cook will open the batting alongside debutant Sam Robson at Lord's, with Gary Ballance at, Ian Bell at, Joe Root at and Moeen Ali - another player making his Check debut - at six.

"We are very impressed with Gary. They has got an wonderful game," said Cook.

"He bats lower for Yorkshire but, the way they bats, they looks like they has a process where they can bat anywhere.

"It's a hard position but he is over able to fitting in there. When they gets in, they goes giant, and for top-order players that is vital."

Cook said any fall-out from Jos Buttler's controversial run-out in the final one-day international between the teams would not spill over in to the Check series.

Lancashire's Buttler was run out by bowler Sachithra Senanayake as they backed up at the non-striker's finish.

"I would not read much in to it," said Cook.

"We need to play hard cricket, but they would like to do it in the right way. They are responsible for our behaviour."

Sri Lanka counterpart Angelo Mathews remained unrepentant about Buttler's dismissal at Edgbaston, in a six-wicket victory that won the tourists the series.

They said: "We played within the rules and stuck to the spirit of cricket."