Former England captain Alastair Cook has announced his retirement from international cricket. England’s highest run-scorer in Test cricket will bow out of the game after the fifth Test against India which begins from September 7 at the Kennington Oval in London.
The 33-year-old made the stunning announcement in a statement released by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday.
“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 in the statement.
“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,” he further added.
33-year old Cook, who made his debut for England in 2006, is the sixth highest run-scorer in Test cricket. He has so far amassed 12254 runs in 160 Tests at an average of 44.88 with 32 hundreds and 56 half-centuries.
The Gloucester-born cricketer was always known for his prowess with the bat in the longest format even though he did manage to feature in 92 ODIs for England in which he made 3204 runs at an average of 36.40 with 5 centuries and 19 fifties. He also played 4 T20 internationals and scored 61 runs.
