Three captains for the Three Lions - not sure they will all roar

So it is all change in the England cricket set up as the Three Lions now have three different captains for three different disciplines in the international game.

As expected, and rightly so, the most important one and the one we are best at, Test cricket, will not change as Andrew Strauss stays in charge.

Alastair Cook, a man who despite his Ashes heroics could not get in the World Cup team will now not just play One Dayers but lead them and Stuart Broad has been considered the natural successor to Paul Collingwood in Twenty20s given Collingwood’s age and loss of form.

Strauss and coach Flower, who has signed a new contract, are a pair that can lead us to be the top side in the world in Test cricket, especially if this summer goes well. So perhaps it is a good decision for Strauss to just have the five-day game to worry about given that there are holes in our recent One Day and T20 exploits.

It seems a strange decision that Strauss’ replacement is a man who, despite etching his name into Ashes folklore, has not featured in many One Day Internationals of late. But Cook’s appointment is a good decision.

Firstly he has been groomed as Strauss’ successor at Test level and although he has done so against Bangladesh, picking his wits against the world’s best regularly will be the best training. It seems as if England are using Cook in the same way Australia have used Michael Clarke to follow Ricky Ponting. But while Australia’s dominance has fallen away in this transition, England will hope they can rise from the Ashes in One Day cricket.

Secondly, Cook’s guaranteed inclusion in the One Day team will settle worries of who opens for England in 50 over cricket. There were enough problems finding an opening partner for Strauss in the World Cup so at least with Cook in the team it will nail on one opener for future matches after Strauss announced his retirement from the game altogether. While Cook has not played an ODI for Essex since March 2010, his One Day form for Essex has warranted a place in the team after 96 against Nottinghamshire and provided he manages the team well on the field he will slot straight in.

Not such a good appointment is that of Broad as the T20 skipper. He has big shoes to fill after Collingwood led them to victory in the last World T20 and only has one year to prepare before they aim to retain that title. This is another step to make Broad the world beater he will no doubt become but his first appointment as captain at senior level has come too early.

Not long ago Broad was criticised for a lack of respect to umpires, excessive appealing and genuine unsporting behaviour. This was excused for youthful exuberance and a willingness to win but there will be nowhere to hide as captain.

How he leads the team remains to be seen but there is no doubt over his place in the side but there is just a worry that his reign in charge of England in the most up and coming discipline of the game and arguably the second most important, may have a touch of the Kevin Pietersens about it.