England captain Andrew Strauss retires from all forms of cricket and will be replaced as skipper by Alastair Cook.
BBC Sport
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Strauss: Highs and lows
BBC Sport
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Strauss announces retirement Watch New
BBC Sport
England captain Andrew Strauss has retired from all forms of cricket.
Strauss skippered his country in 50 of his 100 Tests and is handing over to one-day captain Alastair Cook
The highs and lows of a captain
During his time in charge, England emerged from the
chaos of Kevin Pietersen's resignation as captain to become the world's
number one ranked Test team.
But the road to the top was anything but easy for Strauss.
His reign came at a turbulent time for English cricket as controversy on and off the pitch dogged his spell as captain.
Strauss said: "For me the driver
to it all quite frankly was my form with the bat. In truth, I haven't
battled well enough for a long time now. I think I have run my race."
He denied his decision to quit was influenced by
the furore over Kevin Pietersen's axing from the team.
Strauss scored 7,037 Test runs at an average of 40.91, leaving him ninth in England's all-time run-scorers list.
During his time in charge, England were ranked the world's best Test team for the first time.
Cook, 27, will take charge of his country for the first time in the four-Test series against India in November.
He said: "I'm very excited by this new challenge, it is
a huge honour to be appointed Test captain and I am very much looking
forward to captaining the side in India this winter and beyond."
He replaces a man in Strauss who was England's third
most experienced leader and the second most successful behind Michael
Vaughan, with a captaincy record of 24 wins in 50 matches.
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Strauss quits due to poor form
The opening batsman also led the side to home and away
Ashes triumphs on a run of victories that saw them crowned as the
world's number one team for the first time since the rankings were
introduced.
Strauss added: "I am extremely proud of everything I
have achieved as a cricketer and I have found myself very fortunate to
play in an era when some of English cricket's greatest moments have
occurred. I have loved every minute of it.
"It hasn't been something that occurred overnight. It has built over a few months.
"I would like to go out on my own terms with my head held high - and I think this is the right time."
Strauss's retirement is overshadowed by an unsavoury controversy surrounding star batsman Kevin Pietersen.
The former captain was said to be the subject of
"provocative" text messages that Pietersen sent to South African opponents
during the 3-0 series defeat by the Proteas.
But Strauss was insistent he was clear on his future
before the news of the texts broke on the eve of his 100th Test match at
Lord's.
Strauss's record as captain
- Tests:
50
- Runs:
3,343
- Average:
40.76
- 50s:
14
- Centuries:
9
- Catches:
60
- Highest score:
169 (v West Indies, Feb 2009)
- Wins:
24
- Losses:
11
- Draws:
15
"I've been speaking about it for
a while," he said. "I first spoke to Andy Flower about it prior to the
Kevin Pietersen incident rearing its head, it just hasn't been a
consideration at all.
"I first spoke to Andy about this a few weeks ago and
said I'm considering it and would talk to him at end of the South Africa
series, by the time I spoke to him again my mind was made up and I
think he knew that."
Strauss sent letters to members of the England team
explaining his decision to retire and they responded by sending him 100
bottles of wine.
It was a sign of the high regard the dressing room held him in, a view Cook voiced as he paid tribute to his predecessor.
He said: "Obviously I've got huge boots to fill. Andrew
played 100 Test matches, 7,000 runs, and it feels like I've spent all
my England career walking out to bat with him.
"That's a huge hole to fill - and unfortunately it might mean I have to take the first ball now."
COPY : http://www.bbc.co.uk/
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