Alastair Cook retires: Career in pictures
England cricket's modern colossus, Alastair Cook announced his decision to retire after the ongoing India series, declaring an end to a 12-year international career that witnessed astonishing batting heights.
England's highest run-getter in Tests, and their most-capped player with 160 games, Cook underwent several phases through his glittering international career, a journey that had its share of breathtaking ups and a few dismal lows as well.
The Cook saga started in 2000 when he was admitted to the Essex Academy aged only 16. His debut came in 2003 when he first made his List A debut and followed it with his first-class debut for Essex.
Based on his form, he was named as captain of the U-19 England side for the World Cup in 2004.
He was an instant hit and had an eye-catching season in 2004, going on to win the PCA Young Cricketer of the Year in 2005.
He hit 1267 runs during his final years at Belford, as an 18-year-old.
As a 21-year-old, he was summoned from an A-tour of the West Indies when Marcus Trescothick decided to head home to India, following mental health problems.
The move paid rich dividends as Cook slammed a 60 and an unbeaten 104 at Nagpur, against a bowling attack featuring Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Sreesanth.
Later that year, on a searing Perth wicket, and against the likes of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Shane Warne, he compiled a six-hour marathon knock of 114 in the Ashes. Apart from that, however, he did not have a great tour, collecting only 276 runs in 10 innings.
Before turning 23, Cook had seven centuries in Test cricket - a feat only Sachin Tendulkar, Javed Miandad and Donald Bradman had achieved in the past. On a testing track in Sri Lanka in 2007, he scored a stubborn century, showcasing maturity and technical prowess way beyond his age.