Former England captain Alastair Cook has announced his retirement from international cricket.

The 33-year-old will call time on his Test career after the final match of the current series against India, which starts at the Oval on  Friday.

Here Press Association Sport looks at some of the left-hander’s options once his 12-year England career comes to an end.

County Cricket

Cook's Essex appearances have been restricted by his England commitments
Cook’s Essex appearances have been restricted by his England commitments (Nigel French/PA)

Cook’s increased availability last summer was a key component in Essex claiming a first Specsavers County Championship title for 25 years in 2017. The opener made seven appearances for the Chelmsford outfit, hitting 667 runs at an average of 66.7 and notching up three centuries to set Chris Silverwood’s side on their way to success. Cook’s Essex appearances have been few and far between over the last decade due to England commitments, and he may relish the prospect of a full season on the county circuit.

Non-playing cricket roles

Alastair Cook (right) could follow mentor Graham Gooch into coaching
Cook (right) could follow mentor Graham Gooch into coaching (Sean Dempsey/PA)

Cook worked closely with former Essex and England opener Graham Gooch early in his career, and  could follow his mentor into coaching. Cook’s former opening partner Andrew Strauss is now the England and Wales Cricket Board’s director of cricket, and could presumably find a more administrative role in his set-up for Cook should he decide against a future as a coach.

Farming

Cook once appeared on BBC One’s Countryfile to discuss his love of farming, and he regularly works on a farm near Leighton Buzzard to escape the pressures of cricket, saying in 2016: “I think farming does help my cricket in the way that I’m not lying on my sofa thinking ‘what’s my technique doing here?’”

Media

Cricket – Second Test – New Zealand v England – Day Five – Hawkins Basin Reserve
Cook may decide to take the well-trodden path of former England captain to TV pundit (Anthony Devlin/PA)

Cook has always appeared at ease in front of the cameras, even during some of his more difficult moments at England captain, and could follow other former skippers Mike Atherton, David Gower, Sir Ian Botham, Nasser Hussein and Michael Vaughan in choosing to move into broadcasting.

Music career

Cook sang in the St Paul’s Cathederal boarding school choir as a child and even performed in front of the queen. He also played clarinet in the school orchestra, and could follow in the footsteps of former England batsman Mark Butcher, who released an album in 2010.