England cricket has paid tribute to Alastair Cook following the opener's decision to retire from the international duties, hailing him as a "genuine legend" of the game.
Cook, England's all-time leading Test run scorer, has announced he will step down from international cricket at the end of the series against India.
The 33-year-old, who's scored 12,254 runs in 160 Test matches, will make his last appearance for England in the final Test against India, which starts at The Oval on Friday.
Cook's longtime teammate Graeme Swann told BBC radio the former captain was "one of the nicest men alive".
"He's almost massively overachieved. His natural physical prowess isn't that of a sportsman and yet he's the holder of all these batting records," Swann said.
"He runs like Woody from Toy Story, his back's ready to snap in half. He once batted with a broken leg on tour and got a hundred, because he did not dare tell (then head coach) Andy Flower that he'd done it at a water park.
"This bloke's a hero in my eyes. He's a dear friend. I'm so glad that this is the right time."
Former England captain Graham Gooch described him as "a genuine legend of English cricket".
Gooch, Cook's mentor throughout his career, saw his previous Test record of 8900 runs for England surpassed by his Essex prodigy three years ago.
"Alastair has been the rock of England's batting for the last 12 years since he made his debut and while we are all sad to see him retire, we must rejoice in what he has done for our country," Gooch said in a statement on behalf of the Professional Cricketers Association.
"He is a genuine legend of English cricket."
Former England captain Nasser Hussain, like Gooch, spoke of the hard work and determination which were key to his success.
"He's been a truly remarkable cricketer," Hussain told Sky Sports News.
"To carry on this long - I think he's played 158 Test matches in a row - you'd think somewhere along the line you'd lose form or fitness.
"Huge credit to the lad, he's been England's best player."
And Alec Stewart, another ex-England captain, told BBC Radio: "That record of over 12,000 runs, if someone breaks it they're very, very good players - but it will take a long, long time to get there.
"That's the amazing thing - every time in the last-chance saloon he's come out and showed what a mentally strong player he is, but also what a fine player he is.
England Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves paid tribute to Cook's "selfless dedication to the England cause".
"As our highest-ever Test run-scorer and most capped player, he fully deserves to be remembered as one of England's greatest ever cricketers," he said.
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