Alastair Cook resigns as England Test captain

Alastair Cook on 6 Februray 2017 resigned as the captain of the England test cricket team. Cook submitted his resignation to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves.

However, Cook has stated his willingness to continue playing on as a batsman in the longest format of the game.

Highlights of Alastair Cook’s career

• Statistics: A left-handed opening batsman, Cook started his international career with a test match against India in March 2006.

• He played his first one day international (ODI) against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, England in June 2006.

• So far, Alastair Cook played 140 matches and scored 11,057 runs from 253 innings. His test career includes 53 half-centuries, 30 centuries and 3 double centuries.

• So far, he scored 3204 runs in 92 ODIs. The score includes 19 half-centuries and 5 centuries.

• He has led England in a record 69 one-day internationals between 2010 and 2014.

• So far, he played four T20 International (T20I) matches and scored 61 runs with a strike rate of 112.96.

Cook's magic with the bat

• At present, Alastair Cook is England's leading scorer in tests with 11,057 runs.

• On May 2016, at the age of 31 years, 5 months and 5 days, Cook became the youngest cricketer to score 10,000 test runs.

• The previous record was held by Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar reached the landmark in 2005 at the age of 31 years, 10 months and 20 days.

• So far, he led the country in 59 test matches. He has been the country's most capped test skipper.

• Alastair Cook  has scored more test centuries than any previous captain.

• His record includes Ashes victories at home in 2013 and 2015 as well as series wins in India and South Africa.

• He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2012 and ICC World Test Captain in 2013.