Johannesburg, Nov 15 : England cricket captain Alastair Cook has insisted that the controversy over sacked batsman Kevin Pietersen's autobiography had been well and truly in the past for his side ahead of their ODI series in Sri Lanka.

England fly out on Sunday for a seven-match series designed as part of their preparations for next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. They do so with the uproar caused by Pietersen's book having just about died down since it was launched in a blaze of publicity last month.

South Africa-born Pietersen, ditched by England earlier this year following the 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia, blasted former coach Andy Flower and several current players, saying that a bullying culture had been created in the dressing room, Sport24 reported.

However, Cook remained adamant that England's one-day squad had not been disturbed by all the sound and fury happening around them. He said that they have had a couple of weeks together and they haven't felt the need to talk about it at all.

The skipper said that it's all happened now, it's all out now from Pietersen's side and added that as players they have left it, there's nothing more that can really come out.

He said that they just want to build and move forward as a side and as a captain, that's a good place to be.

England has lost five of their last six ODI series and last week retired India great Sachin Tendulkar wrote off their chances of winning the World Cup , something they have not done in nearly 40 years' of trying. (ANI)