Alastair Cook has announced his retirement from international cricket.
The fifth and final Test against India at The Oval will be his last.
“After much thought and deliberation over the last few months I have decided to announce my retirement from international cricket at the end of this Test series against India,” he said.
“Although it is a sad day, I can do so with a big smile on my face knowing I have given everything and there is nothing left in the tank. I have achieved more than I could have ever imagined and feel very privileged to have played for such a long time alongside some of the greats of the English game. The thought of not sharing the dressing room, again, with some of my teammates was the hardest part of my decision, but I know the timing is right.
Since then he has gone on to score 32 hundreds and 56 fifties, making him Test cricket’s most prolific opening batsman ever. He also captained England – he was full-time skipper from 2012-2017 – a record 59 times in Tests.
Other than a double hundred in Melbourne last winter, he has failed to make a century in his last 15 Tests, and his top score in the current series is 29 at Trent Bridge.
https://www.wisden.com/cricket-features/runs-records-alastair-cooks-career-numbers
