National selector James Whitaker had made it clear before England embarked on their current one-day international tour of Sri Lanka that Cook would be in charge for the World Cup despite questions about his leadership and form with the bat.
There was no change to that policy as the opener was joined in the squad by all those chosen for the Sri Lanka trip and frontline pace bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson, currently recovering from their knee injuries in South Africa.
Jonathan Trott is the one notable omission from the initial group named for the tournament, which begins in February.
Trott had to leave last winter’s Ashes campaign in Australia with a stress-related illness, but the batsman gradually returned to form and well-being for Warwickshire during the English domestic campaign.
Among others who have been included in the World Cup reckoning are a sextet from Yorkshire – Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow, Tim Bresnan, Jack Brooks, Liam Plunkett and Adil Rashid – joining county colleague Joe Root, already in Sri Lanka.
Surrey batsman Jason Roy, who made his international debut in a Twenty20 against India at Edgbaston in September, is also in the 30.
England intend to pare down their squad, to a 16 for the tri-series in Australia, just before Christmas – of whom 15 are expected to form their final World Cup squad.
Preliminary 30-man England squad for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Saturday:
Preliminary squad: Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jack Brooks, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook (capt), Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Stephen Parry, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Boyd Rankin, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, James Tredwell, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Luke Wright. AFP
