Alastair Cook retires from international cricket - live reaction and analysis

Alastair Cook has announced that he will retire from international cricket at the conclusion of England's Test series against India. 

Cook, 33, is England's leading runscorer in Test history and also boasts more centuries than any other England batsman. 

The Essex opener said of his decision: “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.

“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."

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13:45

Another former teammate who enjoyed some great times (and some more difficult ones) alongside the retiring Cook is Matt Prior. 

 

He has tweeted about his friend's decision and what it means.

 

13:09

Graeme Gooch, who Cook overtook to become England's most prolific batsman of all time, added: "He is a legend not only because of his performances but because of his attitude, his sacrifices, the way he has carried himself and the example he has set. Alastair is a perfect role model and is the image of the game we want to project.

"He is a great ambassador for his sport, he is a great person as well as a great cricketer.

"His record is unsurpassed in terms of runs and the commitment he has showed for every team he has played for and has been a beacon for our sport as a person and as a cricketer."

13:00

Hussain is also an Essex man, and added that it will be very difficult for England to replace Cook's consistency, adding: "He's had 13 different opening partners and since Andrew Strauss, England have struggled to find another to go with him.

"No-one is irreplaceable, you look at Sachin Tendulkar, when he retired everyone said there would be no-one like that and Virat Kohli has come along.

"So eventually someone will come along, but it will take a long time to find another Alastair Cook."

12:56

Nasser Hussain, another former England captain and now Sky commentator, has said of Cook: "Batting doesn't always come naturally to Alastair, he has had to really work hard, but one thing that has always come naturally to him is how hard mentally he's had to work at it.

"We did this very good mind games programme with Charles Colville recently and he said, constantly, even to this day, Alastair has someone sitting on his shoulder, questioning him - are you good enough Alastair?"I reckon after 160 Test matches he's proved to everyone that he is seriously good."

12:51

Cook has a chance of surpassing Kumar Sangakkara in his final Test match to break the top five all-time Test run scorers.

The list currently looks like this:

1. Sachin Tendulkar - 15,921 (India) 
2. Ricky Ponting - 13,378 (Australia)
3. Jacques Kallis - 13,289 (South Africa) 
4. Rahul Dravid - 13,288 (India) 
5. Kumar Sangakkara - 12,400 (Sri Lanka)
6. Alastair Cook - 12,254* (England)​

Obviously it’s a little instructive that so many of these names come from the modern era, and that is something that will be analysed in Jonny Liew’s piece that is coming shortly. 

12:45

The first of Cook's England teammates to speak about his retirement is Stuart Broad, who has played a huge number of games alongside the opener as a captain and teammate. 

 

"Not enough words to describe what a legend Cooky is," said Broad in a tweet. Fairly apt for the medium, I suppose!

12:42

The Herald Sun in Melbourne, Australia, pays tribute to the retiring Cook on Instagram. 

 

12:36

Cook's long-time team-mate Graeme Swann told BBC Radio 5 Live: "He's one of the nicest men alive. He's almost massively overachieved. His natural physical prowess isn't that of a sportsman and yet he's the holder of all these batting records.

"He runs like Woody from Toy Story, his back's ready to snap in half. He once batted with a broken leg on tour and got a hundred, because he did not dare tell (then head coach) Andy Flower that he'd done it at a water park.

"This bloke's a hero in my eyes. He's a dear friend. I'm so glad that this is the right time. They've won the series against India, he's not in the greatest form.

"The thing is with Cookie, there was always this tantalising feel he'd get a double hundred the next time he bats, even if he was in bad nick. He always knew that as well.

"It couldn't be a more perfect time to go. His wife's about to give birth. He's going to have three kids, he's got a lot more to offer to the world.

"He's broken every record, he's an absolute hero and if only he could catch at short-leg I'd have another 50 wickets!"

12:30

Alastair Cook's retirement means that rather than the seemingly endless hunt to find an opening partner for the record-breaking batman, England now need to replace the man himself.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at some of the contenders.

Rory Burns

The Surrey man may well have been going to Sri Lanka in the autumn anyway, but his chances of opening the batting now look considerably higher. Burns, 28, has led from the front for champions-elect Surrey this season and is the highest Division One runscorer with 961 at 64.06. If this is not his time, then it may never be.

Jonny Bairstow

Already in the England ranks, could Jonny Bairstow move up the order? Though his preferred slot is to bat in the middle order and keep wicket, England's recent decision to give the gloves to Jos Buttler while Bairstow recovered from a damaged finger shows the selectors are willing to go against the grain. Bairstow has excelled as an opener for Yorkshire and England's one-day team, so why not?

Haseeb Hameed

On England's tour of India two years ago, the question as to who would replace Cook had a simple answer - Lancashire's Haseeb Hameed. An 82 on debut in Rajkot and a 59 in Mohali led to big acclaim and a tea appointment with Sachin Tendulkar, but injury and a loss of form has blighted him since. At 21 he has time, but it would be a surprise if the call came immediately.

Mark Stoneman

Stoneman has partnered Cook in Tests but his failure to score higher than 60 has seen him sent back to the county game with Surrey. A strong end to the season could get him back in the picture as he at least knows the current set-up.

12:29

First thoughts from Jonathan Liew, our Chief Sports Writer, who is currently reflecting on Cook's retirement: 

Every so often, he would show us glimpses of the old grit. And as he toiled towards double centuries in Birmingham last August and Melbourne last December, we were fleetingly reminded of what an indomitable force he was at his peak. No sweat, no mercy. There have been more talented England batsmen, more technically-correct batsmen, more dominant batsmen, more artful batsmen. But it’s hard to think of anybody who made more of themselves from the start they were given.

12:12

From one former England opener and captain to another, Michel Vaughan pays tribute to the departing Cook.

12:09

The numbers speak for themselves. A remarkable amasser of runs in an England shirt.

Most runs in Tests for England

1. Cook - 12,254
2. Gooch - 8,900
3. Stewart - 8,463
4. Gower - 8,231
5. Pietersen - 8,181

12:00

Alastair Cook is no more an England batsman! A former England captain and one of the greatest batsmen in the history of this storied Test side (statistically, anyway) is stepping aside at 33. 

 

Here are some more of his own thoughts:

 

“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 and feel the immense pride that comes with representing your country.

 

“There are too many people to thank individually, but a special mention must go to Graham Gooch. As a seven year-old I queued for his autograph outside Essex County Cricket Club and years later was so fortunate to have him mentoring me. 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. He made me realise you always need to keep improving whatever you are trying to achieve.

“My family and I have had 12 wonderful years fulfilling my dreams and this could not have been done without them. So I wish to thank my parents and brothers, my wife, Alice, and her family for their quiet, unwavering support behind the scenes. As cricketers, who travel frequently, we often don’t realise just how important our families are to our success.

“I would also like to thank Essex County Cricket Club for their help and support ever since I was 12, and I can’t wait to get fully involved with them in the 2019 season. 
“I wish the England team every success in the future, and I will be watching with great excitement.”

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