‘A great person and great cricketer’

their turn to entertain us and feel the immense pride that comes with representing your country.”

Tributes flowed in from England’s greatest names with his mentor Graham Gooch calling him a “genuine legend” and Michael Vaughan insisting “no player had given more to the England shirt”.

Gooch, below, added: “Alastair is a perfect role model and is the image of the game we want to project. He is a great ambassador for his sport; he is a great person as well as a great cricketer.

“His record is unsurpassed in terms of runs and the commitment he has showed for every team he has played for, and has been a beacon for our sport as a person and as a cricketer.”

Cook, 33, has experienced a downturn in batting fortunes but is understood to have agonised over his decision for the whole summer. After a poor series against New Zealand he had hoped to rediscover his touch against Pakistan and India only to slump to the lowest yearly average of his career in 2018 at 18.62.

At his peak in 2011, he averaged a towering 84.27. His 12,254 runs, 32 Test centuries and 160 appearances remain the best by an England player.

Cook will bow out in what promises to be an emotional occasion at The Oval after the fifth and final Test against India, which starts on Friday.

The batsman intends to continue playing for Essex next season having signed a three-year deal. He said: “I can’t wait to get fully involved with them in 2019.”

Sir Ian Botham praised Cook and said: “He will go down as England’s finest opening batsman of the modern era.

“He has done that job without a break for longer than anyone else and has set the bar so high I doubt it will ever be beaten.

“Batting in the toughest position in the order, no Englishman has scored more runs than him, and he has to be remembered as the magnificent player he has been.

“He has been a warrior for such a long time, and it takes its toll on you.

“Cooky has been the cornerstone of English cricket since arriving in India all those years ago and showing he had what it took to be a quality Test match cricketer.

“He has delivered on that promise and more and it has been great to watch him produce the goods all over the world against the best bowlers each country has to offer.

“He is going out now on his terms and it is an honourable way for an honourable man to call time on his career.”