Alastair Cook announces retirement from international cricket

He retires as England's leading run scorer

Alastair Cook has announced his retirement from international cricket following the ongoing series against India. The opening batsman retires as England's leading run scorer in Test matches and as England's most capped player of all time. Over the course of 160 Test matches for England, he maintained an average of 44 runs - impressive by anyone's standards. However, his powers have started to wane and his strike rate has started to fall, with an average of just 18 this calendar year. "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," Cook said. "I have loved cricket my whole life from playing in the garden as a child and will never underestimate how special it is to pull on an England shirt. So I know it is the right time to give the next generation of young cricketers their turn to entertain us.” The fifth and final Test of the current series against India at the Oval will be Cook's farewell match. He will no doubt receive a standing ovation when he makes the walk back to the pavilion one last time. England secured a series victory over India yesterday, winning at the Rose Bowl in Southampton by 60 runs, thanks for a Man of the Match performance from the returning Moeen Ali.