mvaughan

I'm not surprised by the news. I've realised this decision has been coming for a few weeks now, just from the way Straussy has been carrying himself. I know from my own experience that once you've decided to go, you become a bit 'too cool for school' and are enjoying your batting instead of the intense focus you'd normally have as captain.

We know he has been struggling to get runs so this, tied in with losing to South Africa and the KP affair, would have tipped him over the edge.

I'm also not surprised at all he's retiring from all forms of cricket. He doesn't just want to hang around scoring a few runs for Middlesex; he's got a good family around him and plenty of other interests - he's not just about cricket.

The highlight for me when you're talking about playing with Straussy is of course the 2005 Ashes and, in particular, the century he got on the first day at the Oval. Everyone talks about KP's ton, but that 100 set the tone for the match and was vitally important.

Of course, winning the Ashes in Australia is the ultimate achievement for any captain, so that will undoubtedly be remembered as the main highlight for Andrew - as he said himself today.

Alastair Cook takes over now and he is a very capable leader. As I know myself, give it three months and they'll be saying 'Andrew who?'!

It's the toughest of starts for Cook with a tour to India; the hardest place to captain a team.

My gut feeling is that Jonathan Trott will move up the order to open with Ian Bell at three and Eoin Morgan or Ravi Bopara at four. It will mean an inexperience middle order, with the likes of Taylor and Bairstow vying for places, but given that England were hammered with an experience side last year, Cook goes out there with no pressure really. It will all be about New Zealand and then Australia.

Of course, the Kevin Pietersen issue remains. It might be easier to settle with Strauss' departure, but Kevin's beef appears to be with the ECB so we might be talking some time. If I was Alastair Cook, I'd be looking to sit down with Pietersen at some point and having a chat.

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