Alastair Cook believes new England coach Andy Flower turned him into an international cricketer and the opening batsman is determined to repay his former Essex team-mate by helping Andrew Strauss's side regain the Wisden Trophy.

Tomorrow's First Test against West Indies will be Flower's "debut" since becoming England's permanent team director, a job he landed after impressing in an interim role during the winter tour of the Caribbean.

After spending two full summers playing alongside Flower at county level, Cook knows the Zimbabwean better than most of his England team-mates, and the 24-year-old revealed that Flower's advice during their spell at Essex had helped to make him one of the country's best top-order batsmen.

Cook said: "Andy definitely helped me out when I was batting with him. When I was a 19-year-old, it was great to see someone like Andy Flower coming in at No3.

"He helped me out with his experience during certain situations. We had two good years together in 2004 and 2005, and you can see now how that has helped me.

"At that age, I was just desperate to score runs, but the confidence he had in me certainly helped. He used to call me 'Maestro' when I was batting, although from a player with his record, I don't know why.

"When he was batting, I just knew he wasn't going to give his wicket away, so I made sure I wasn't going to do that, either. Andy always wanted the younger players to do well."

Given his limited experience, Flower's appointment was questioned in some quarters - especially as top international coaches Mickey Arthur and John Wright were also believed to have been in the frame for the position.

But the 41-year-old, who had been part of the England set-up since May 2007, won over most of the players with his direct, measured approach in the Caribbean. With Peter Moores only sacked in January, Cook claims it would have been a mistake to look beyond Flower.

The left-hander said: "If we'd had three coaches in a very short period of time leading into a huge summer, I don't think it would have been right. Andy impressed everyone in West Indies, and I'm sure now he's coach full-time he'll be looking to establish his own take on things when he can. He's not scared to ask the hard questions. He goes straight to the point because he has the confidence as a bloke to do that.

"It also helps that Andy has the experience of going through what we are now going through as players. He is very calm but very steely, and he is trying to transmit those qualities to all of us."