Alastair Cook steps down as England captain

London: Alastair Cook has resigned as England Test captain after a record 59 matches in the role, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said today.

Cook, England's leading scorer in Tests with 11,057 runs, became captain in August 2012 and led his country to Ashes glory on home soil in 2013 and 2015 as well as series wins in India and South Africa.

"It's been a huge honour to be England captain and to lead the Test team over the past five years," Cook, 32, said in a statement.

"Stepping down has been an incredibly hard decision but I know this is the correct decision for me and at the right time for the team."