Many pundits have been loquacious in their criticism, advising more adventure.
But Cook said: “In these conditions, two new balls and 10.30 starts at Headingley, it's going to do a little bit early on - and it's very naive to think you can just whack it straight away.
“There is a certain way you have to play.”
As for his continued tenure as captain, he repeated a near season-long mantra which extends back to the pressure he was under too before England turned round the Test series against India.
He said: “There hasn't been a press conference I've been in all summer when someone hasn't mentioned my future as captain ... and I always give the (same) answer - while I still want to do the job and believe I can, then I'll carry on doing it.
“If they don't want me to, then I'll take it on the chin.”
Cook has good reason to be grateful to Root, whose hundred on his home ground - and century stand with Jos Buttler - gained the day.
“Rooty obviously was the difference. You can get two or three guys getting 20, 30s and 40s if someone else goes on and gets a hundred off 100 balls,” he said.
