Former England captain Alastair Cook has announced his retirement from professional cricket.
Cook, 38, made the last of his 161st Test appearances in 2018 but continued to represent the county he spent his entire career with, Essex, until the final match of their 2023 campaign in late September.
The left-handed opener's 12,472 Test runs is the most by any English batter, placing him fifth on the all-time list. His 33 Test centuries are also the most by an English player.
"It is not easy to say goodbye," Cook said. "For more than two decades, cricket has been so much more than my job.
"It is the right time for this part of my life to come to an end. I have always given absolutely everything I possibly have to be the best player I could be, but now I want to make way for the new generation to take over."
