Whitlock, the floor and pommel horse gold medallist from Rio 2016, was joined by Courtney Tulloch, James Hall, Nile Wilson and Dominick Cunningham as England won men's artistic team gold on 258.950.

"I've got options and go out there and try and do that," said Whitlock. 

"In pommel I have got to the position where I have three different routines. 

"I have been practicing the Triple Russian in the gym so if I need it I can do it.

"It is the hardest and most risky.

"I try to look at every competition as the same. 

"Every one is as big as the next one, this is a massive stepping stone towards the long term target which is Tokyo 2020 but I prepare and focus just as much as I would for an Olympic Games as I did for this Commonwealth Games."

Canada's Corey Paterson, Jackson Payne, Rene Cournoyer, Scott Morgan and Zachary Clay ended on 248.650 for silver as Scotland's Dan Purvis, Frank Baines, Hamish Carter, Kelvin Cham and David Weir won bronze on 240.975.

Floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and horizontal bar were the disciplines contested.

"The real threat right now will definitely be Max Whitlock," said Clay on the individual events.

"Right now it is not necessarily intimidating. 

"I'm not saying I am going to beat him but I am just focused on what I am doing."

England defended their Glasgow 2014 title while the Canadians improved on their showing from the Scottish city, where they finished third behind the hosts in silver.

"It is just a phenomenal feeling," said Clay.

"Coming from the last Games we came third, the fact that we came to these and won silver it just means everything.

"We definitely improved a lot and we had just a solid team."

Scotland's squad paid tribute to the experience of Purvis who had been a star of their team at Glasgow 2014.

"He is the rock of the team," said Carter.

"He is our team captain for these Games. 

"He is one of the most reliable gymnasts Great Britain has ever had and to have him on our team is just amazing."

The Scots forced their way into bronze late in the proceedings as Cyprus came fourth.

"We could see coming to the last event that it was going to be close," Carter added. 

"No individual performance secured that medal. 

"We performed as a team because without each of us doing our job there was no way we were going to be on the podium.

"Even right at the end we performed the best routines we could."

The women's team final will be held tomorrow.