He’s 35 years old and retiring from captaining the England cricket team after a term of pure achievement. He is bidding adieu from all forms of cricket and will now be handing the keys of captaincy to Alastair Cook.
Cooking up captaincy
After the controversies in the past weeks concerning Kevin Pietersen, it had to be asked whether the decision of Strauss leaving the team was because of any feud between them. But he instantly denies and clarifies further that his leaving is purely because of his own performance and nothing else. Strauss said that his batting form has been deteriorating and that it was the right time for him to walk out with dignity.
While the England team was under the captaincy of Andrew Strauss, it achieved the title of the best test team; something that took a long time to happen. He leaves the team with his name in the all-time scorers list, with the team higher in the test rankings and with all of the country’s adoration. He leaves the ground being the second most achieved captain and with a world of experience.
He agrees that the building did not happen overnight. It took months and months of hard work, practice, planning and strategy to bring the team where it stands today. But, he says, it has been very well worth it. He is trying his best to convince the reporters and the fans that his retirement was well planned out earlier and had nothing to do with the friction with his and Pietersen.
As the role and responsibility transfer on to Cook, there is both anticipation and anxiety to see a new rule and reign over such a well carried-out position. He is 27 years old and both in jitters and excitement to take over the team that was already his. He will officially take over at the test series against India in November.
“I’m very excited by this new challenge. It is a huge honor to be appointed Test captain and I am very much looking forward to captaining the side in India this winter and beyond,” said Cook.
While the team members paid tribute to a captain whose place will be sorely missed, Andrew Strauss will glance around the dressing room bidding farewell to a place with years of fond memories.
Tags: Alastair Cook, Cricket, England, England Cricket Team
