Alastair Cook has stepped down as captain of the England Test team after 59 games in charge, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Monday. The decision comes a month after England were defeated 4-0 in India in a five-Test series. Prior to the India tour, England had drawn a two-Test series in Bangladesh 1-1 and had been held 2-2 by Pakistan last summer at home.
Cook, 32, ended his reign as England’s longest serving captain and won 24 out of the 59 matches he led the team. He was appointed captain in 2012 after Andrew Strauss’s retirement and has since led the team to Ashes victories at home in 2013 and 2015, as well as series wins in India and South Africa.
“Cook discussed his decision with the Chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board, Colin Graves, on Sunday evening and has confirmed his continuing commitment to playing Test cricket to Director of England Cricket, Andrew Strauss, and the selectors,” a statement from the ECB stated.
Cook scored more Test centuries than any previous captain and is England’s most prolific Test batsman with 11,057 runs in 140 matches so far. “Stepping down has been an incredibly hard decision but I know this is the correct decision for me and at the right time for the team,” Cook said in a written statement. “I’ve had time to reflect after the India series and this weekend I spoke to Colin Graves, the Chairman, to explain and offer my resignation,” he added.
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