Andrew Strauss quits ALL Cricket

[Stephen_G]

with immediate effect.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/19408311

Alistair Cook will take over as Test Captain. Has he jumped before he was pushed and is Kevin Pietersen's name a factor in his decision? Do the ECB want Pietersen back in the side and was Strauss on the wrong side in all of this? Only time (And possibly a blockbuster Autobiography) will tell.

Good luck to Cookie.

[WELSHYORKIE]

I think there'll be more to this than meets the eye. Obviously the issue with Pietersen will have brought things to a head. Is it possible that he didn't command the respect of the rest of the team? Guess we'll just have to wait and see. or Pietersen will enlighten us all.

[McMouse]

It's just not cricket.

[sunny-dave]

I think Strauss may have decided to go before he was pushed - personally I think he has been an excellent captain.

As regards KP I think that welcoming a self-centered, egotistical tw?t back into the team would be a big mistake ...

[Stephen_G]

Strauss did claim that it was his own form dipping and not the KP factor. He's hardly going to say (With ECB chief Hugh Morris sat to his right) that it's got anything to do with KP at all. I doubt the sceptics will buy that though.

[kayakamina]

His form over the last 18 months has not warranted his place in the side as a specialist batsman but I can't believe that the Pieterson business hasn't affected his decision.
He will have no problem finding work either as a TV commentator or , long term, a senior position with the ECB.

[Ellipsis]

He's been a wonderful captain, and good luck to him.

I think this decision had little to do with KP and, in fact, the whole KP incident might have made it harder to go because it looks like it could have had something to do with that. Strauss deserves better than for people to think he's resigned over KP ...

[WELSHYORKIE]

I agree with sunny-dave - I would not bring Pietersen back into the team, however good he is. I believe a dip in form does not warrant a fully blown retirement. Anybody playing sport of whatever description is going to go through a bad patch. The way out of it is to keep working hard at it until it comes back.

[doctordb]

I think Andrew Strauss has made the right decision to quit. Puttting KP to one side for the moment i think he has come to this conclusion because;

1. His form has gone for some time now and at his age he recognises that someone younger deserves his slot just as nasser hussain retired to give his place to strauss.

2. As a captain he has taken this team as far as he can, an achievement he can be proud of but he knows that fresh leadership is needed.

3. The upcoming tour of India is a huge task and he is not alone amongst current english batsmen who have continuously underachieved in the sub-continent.

4. He has quit all cricket not just england, this suggests he is tired of the game as he could have had a few more seasons at middlesex.

5. Re: Kp. He probably can't stand the arrogant ****