England batsman Alastair Cook will retire from international cricket after this week’s Test against India, saying there’s “nothing left in the tank” after 12 record-breaking years in the team.
An elegant and gritty left-handed opener, Cook is leaving the international game holding a slew of national records in tests: most runs (12,254), most appearances (160), most centuries (32) and most tests at captain (59).
He played in 158 straight Tests – a world record – and captained England from 2012-17, during which the team won back-to-back home Ashes series and a first series victory in India in 27 years.
“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,” the 33-year-old said on Monday.
“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.”
Cook’s wife Alice is about to have their third child, an event that may yet coincide with his final Test.
The four-time Ashes winner has endured a lean summer at the top of the order for England, averaging only 15.57 in seven innings against India.
However, he stands sixth in the all-time list of leading Test run-scorers, just above West Indies great Brian Lara, and needs 147 at The Oval to move past Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara in fifth place.
“He’s probably not the most naturally gifted cricketer,” former England captain Alec Stewart said.
“There will be others with far more natural talent that haven’t got the mental strength.
“The combination of what Cook has, both talent and mental strength, has meant he’s played for a very long time and has broken every single record going.”
Cook, who will play next summer for English county Essex, made his Test debut in 2006 as a late replacement for Michael Vaughan and made an unbeaten 104 in the second innings.
He had a rare ability to bat for long periods – he has five double centuries in Tests – without losing focus and concentration.
Cook surpassed his own mentor, Graham Gooch, when he exceeded 8900 Test runs three years ago.
As a seven-year-old, Cook lined up to get Gooch’s autograph outside Essex’s ground and they went on to become close friends.
“Graham was my sounding board, especially in the early years of my career, spending hour after hour throwing balls at me with his dog stick,” Cook said.
“He made me realise you always need to keep improving, whatever you are trying to achieve.”
England faces the tough task of finding a replacement at the top of the order, with Cook having had 12 opening partners since Andrew Strauss’ retirement in 2012.
ECB chairman Colin Graves paid tribute to Cook’s “selfless dedication to the England cause”.
“He fully deserves to be remembered as one of England’s greatest-ever cricketers.”
* Born December 25, 1984, in Gloucester, England.
* The left-hander scored an unbeaten 104 on his Test debut against India at Nagpur in 2006 and made his one-day international debut against Sri Lanka in the same year.
* Scored 766 runs in seven innings during the 2010-11 Ashes tour to help England to their first series win in Australia for 24 years.
* Scored 294 against India in 2011, his highest Test score to date, and was named as the International Cricket Council’s Test Cricketer of the Year.
* Succeeded Andrew Strauss as ODI skipper in 2011 and as permanent Test captain in 2012.
* Scored his 23rd century in 2012, against India, to break the record for most Test hundreds for England. Also became the youngest player to pass 7000 Test runs and was named as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year.
* Led England to the final of the 2013 Champions Trophy, losing to India. He lost the one-day captaincy and a place in the 2015 World Cup squad after a poor run of form.
* Captained England to a 3-0 home Ashes win in 2013 but a 5-0 whitewash Down Under led to criticism of his captaincy.
* Passed Graham Gooch’s 8900-run tally during the 2015 series against New Zealand to become England’s leading run scorer in Tests.
* Led England to a surprise 3-2 Ashes win in 2015 and was named as captain of the ICC’s Test team of the year.
* Ended 2015 as the year’s third-highest Test run scorer with 1364 at an average of 54.56.
* In May 2016, became the first English batsman and the 12th player from any country to score 10,000 runs in Test matches.
* Stepped down as England Test captain in February 2017 after an embarrassing 4-0 series loss in India at the end of 2016.
* Led England in 59 Tests, more than any of his predecessors.
* Cook is England’s most prolific Test batsman, with 12,254 runs in 160 Tests.
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