Alastair Cook, the former captain of England, declared his retirement from cricket on Friday. He had declined to pursue a contract extension with his long-serving county team, Essex.
After amassing 12,472 test runs—the highest of any English hitter and sixth on the all-time list behind Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Rahul Dravid—the left-handed opener had already announced his retirement from the international game in 2018.
Cook's contract with Essex ended at the conclusion of the just concluded domestic season.
After finishing his England career, Cook, 38, stated, "Cricket has been so much more than my job for more than 20 years. I've worked in media on TV and radio."
"This chapter of my life is ending at the appropriate time. I have always given it everything I had to be the best player I could be, but I now want to offer the younger generation the opportunity to succeed.
In a declaration declaring his retirement from international cricket, Cook raised his hand to play on the lower levels.
He commented, "Hopefully, the Bedfordshire Farmers will find room in their lower order for a has-been 'allrounder.'"
59 of Cook's 161 test matches were as captain. According to the England and Wales Cricket Board, he was a "titan of the game."
ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould stated that his "legacy will not just be embodied in the numerous run-making records he achieved, but also in the leadership and grace that he always displayed during a long and distinguished career."
"He is an inspiration in every way, and I have had the great honour of seeing his incredible talent and tenacity for Essex and England."
