Southampton Test: Alastair Cook Turns to 2012 Victory in India for Inspiration

England captain Alastair Cook is drawing confidence from the 2012 Test series in India where his team came from being a loss down to script a memorable 2-1 series win -- a first for them in 28 years. (Battered England look to regain self-respect | Training pics)

It was a deja vu moment for Cook as he geared up for the third Test against India trailing 0-1 after their humiliating 95-run defeat at Lord's. (Livid Dhoni slams ICC over Jadeja fine)

"Without a doubt it gives you confidence," Cook said, referring to his team's 2-1 win in the four-Test series in India in 2012-13. (Indians 'party' after historic Lord's win)

"I remember going into a press conference in Mumbai (before the second Test) after looking at that wicket. A few ex-players were saying we can't play spin and we're going to lose 0-4," Cook told media persons on the eve of the Test match. (Cook brushes aside KP criticism)

"So to turn it around, that was one of my greatest achievements as a player. No one remembers really that we got hammered in the first game (at Ahmedabad). They just remember we won the series. We were 0-1 down but if if we win this series at the end of it, it will be a great feeling," he added.

The big talking point as always has been Cook's batting. "History suggests that when I score runs England have a really good chance of winning games of cricket. That is exciting - I love that. There is nothing worse when you don't score runs than walking back in and feeling you have let down the other 10 guys because that is your job as an opening batsman - to score runs and set up games.

"I haven't been doing that and that is frustrating," Cook lamented about his poor run of form.

"The other day I came down early and had a two-hour hit with Peter Moores, and I was in early today so I am putting in the hard yards and sometimes you don't feel as if you are getting rewards. I am hitting the ball really well and the ball is going where I want it to. I have hit a lot of balls and that is what I have always done," Cook said about his preparation.

The next topic of contention then obviously is his captaincy, because there is a growing feeling in the English ranks that as a batsman suffering from a lack of runs, he has too many duties to perform.

"I find it really hard discussing my captaincy with people. Obviously, I was picked as a leader because people see things in me as one. Otherwise, I never would have got anywhere near this position. I am desperate to carry on, I love leading England and want to throw everything into it."

Indian skipper MS Dhoni had expressed his displeasure about Ravindra Jadeja's 50 percent match-fee fine after the charges against him were reduced to Level 1 by match referee David Boon.

Keeping up with the same, Cook too is backing James Anderson in this stand-off that has marred the series.

"Well, I've got to make sure (James) Anderson's okay. It can be a distraction and obviously is a distraction with that looming over him.

"But he's a very senior, experienced guy who has been through a lot. Chatting to him he was obviously hurting after Lord's. We lost a game of cricket. As you saw at Headingley you can see how much it means to him to play for England. He just wants to bowl well, and bat well now," Cook said.

The English team has copped criticism from a lot of quarters in these last three days in the aftermath of their defeat at Lord's. The decision-making particularly pertaining to the short ball has been at the center of it.

"As a player, you make decisions and you are judged on that decision. You can't tell people how to bat and you can't tell people how to bowl. It is all about those guys getting the result.

"If people want to take it (short ball) on with three men back it is a high-risk shot. If you play it well that is fine but you have got to make sure the results are there," he said.

"The frustrating thing has been that we've been getting ourselves into situations, especially in the four Test matches where we're ahead of the game by quite a long way and haven't been able to force that result," he said.