Alastair Cook retires: Career in pictures

Cook celebrates with his teammates after clinching the 2015 Ashes

A high-point in his captaincy tenure came against Australia in 2015, when he clinched the Ashes for the second time at home, a feat that had previously been achieved by only Mike Brearley and WG Grace.

Cook celebrates his century against Pakistan in 2016

In May 2016, he broke Sachin Tendulkar's record by becoming the youngest to reach 10,000 runs, and two months later, went past Don Bradman's tally of 29 Test centuries. Only 31, Cook seemed to be cruising towards Tendulkar's statistics, but slowed down as the year passed by.

Cook with captain Virat Kohli in 2016

The burden of captaincy hit him hard when his side endured a crushing series loss to India, following which he decided to pass on the baton to Joe Root.

Cook walks off after his century at MCG

He seemed to have slowed down but scored an astonishing double-hundred to shut all his detractors in Australia, scoring an unbeaten 244 at Melbourne to help prevent a whitewash.

Cook will play his final Test at the Oval

Nine months later, he decided to call it quits, bringing the curtains down against India, the country he debuted in.

The last match of the five-match series at the Oval will be his 161st, and the final chapter of a storied career that spanned 12 fruitful years.