Cricket: Poor form, not Pietersen, drove me to retire now, says Strauss

Strauss, 35, blamed his faltering batting form for the decision to bow out on exactly 100 Test caps and insisted that the ongoing drama surrounding Kevin Pietersen’s future played no part in his exit.

Strauss is revered as one of his country’s finest leaders, an endlessly dignified presence on and off the field, and a captain who led the side to success 24 times in 50 Tests.

That record places him third behind Michael Atherton and Michael Vaughan as his country’s most experienced captain and second in terms of matches won.

But he will primarily be remembered as a man who masterminded home and away Ashes wins in 2009 and 2010-11 and became the first England captain to get his hands on the ICC mace awarded to the world’s No 1 Test team.

Yet a troubling decline in his output with the bat – his average was down from a career mark of 40.91 to 31.65 since the start of 2011 – has prompted him to hand over the reins to Alastair Cook.

Speculation will continue that Pietersen’s recent conduct, which has seen him admit to sending “provocative” text messages to opponents in the South Africa team as well as engaging in a high-profile stand-off with the England and Wales Cricket Board over his availability, played its part in Strauss’s retirement, but he rejected that notion outright.

“I was pretty sure I was going to make this decision before the Kevin Pietersen situation arose,” he said in a composed display at Lord’s.

“It’s a very tough decision to make but for me the driver to it all was, quite frankly, my form with the bat. In truth I haven’t batted well enough for a long period of time now.

“I think for a captain to perform in his role properly it’s important, firstly, that you’re not a passenger in the side but also that people aren’t speculating as to whether you should be in the side or not.

“I think that would have been a big distraction to the side going forward and I know with my own energy levels and motivation, I wasn’t going to improve batting-wise. I’d run my race.

“I first spoke to (team director) Andy Flower about it prior to the whole Kevin Pietersen incident rearing its head, so it just hasn’t been a consideration at all.

“What happened (with Pietersen) I don’t feel undermined me in the eyes of the team. It was obviously a difficult situation to deal with, but not in terms of making me more or less keen to lead the side forward.

“It’s one of these decisions where you just know in your heart how you’re feeling about things when the time is up.”

Strauss’s last match saw his side defeated by 51 runs against South Africa, whose 2-0 series win also meant they usurped England at the top of the world rankings.

By a quirk of fate, the timing of yesterday’s news makes Strauss the third England captain, after Nasser Hussain and Vaughan, to depart after crossing swords with Proteas captain Graeme Smith.

But far from being downcast by the manner of his end, Strauss was left impressed by the spirit his team showed in defeat and leaves with no regrets.

“If I’m honest, I’d very much like to go out on my own terms with my head held high and I think this is the best time to do that. I would have hated to outstay my welcome,” he said.

“The last week or two has not been ideal but one misconception I would like to put straight is that in a lot of ways I feel I have gone out at a really good time.

“We might have lost that final Test match but I said to the players after that final game that I was incredibly proud. I have probably never been prouder of an England team than how they played in that last Test match, the way the team stuck together with all the distractions that were going on.

“The resolve, fight and togetherness that everyone showed was a fantastic way for me to go out. It really was incredibly special.”

Strauss made his international debut in 2003, in an ODI against Zimbabwe, and announced himself as a player of real substance with a Lord’s century on his Test debut the following year.

His breakthrough prompted Hussain’s own retirement and he went on to become a central figure for eight years, scoring 7,037 runs and 21 centuries in his 100 Tests as well as 4,205 runs in 127 one-day matches.

An imperious slip fielder, he also snared 179 catches across all international cricket.

Strauss’s retirement led to the widely-anticipated promotion of Cook, who was his vice-captain in the longer format and had already taken over the one-day leadership after last year’s World Cup.

The 50-over transition has so far run smoothly, with some impressive performances and 10 victories against just one defeat, albeit sustained on Tuesday, since the turn of the year.

“Obviously I’ve got huge boots to fill following Straussy,” said Cook, sitting alongside Strauss at Lord’s.

“He’s done an incredible job. Speaking for the players, it was a sad dressing room when we found out. I think that speaks volumes for Straussy and what he has done for the side.”

ECB chairman Giles Clarke made no attempt to persuade Strauss to change his mind over his decision to retire.

“I’ve learned not to be surprised by anything that happens in cricket,” said Clarke, who described Strauss as “a great England captain” and hailed his partnership with Flower as a model captain-coach relationship.

Clarke added: “Andrew Strauss is a man who makes his own decisions and he made it clear he had been reaching that conclusion prior to the South Africa series.

“He had a lengthy discussion with Andrew Flower and, although I have learned that Andrew (Strauss) can change his mind sometimes, on this matter – definitely not.”