"I am very lucky to have this. I don't think I will ever get used to seeing my name with a Sir before it."
Tuesday 26 February 2019 19:37, UK
Sir Alastair Cook refused to completely rule out an England comeback as he collected his knighthood at Buckingham Palace.
Cook, his country's all-time leading Test run-scorer and appearance maker, bowed out from international cricket in his 161st Test at The Oval in September with an England-record 33rd ton, against India.
"You can never say no totally, because you don't know what will happen in the future," said the left-hander, who amassed 12,472 runs for England after making his debut in 2006 against India in Nagpur.
"I had an amazing 12 years and had times and experiences which I could never repeat.
"The way I finished at The Oval was special, that will be my memory of wearing the three lions more times than I ever thought I would.
"That cap will stay in the drawer but I will look back with great memories of it. I can look back smiling with no regrets."
Cook - who will continue to play county cricket for Essex - is the first England cricketer to be knighted since Ian Botham in 2007 and joins an exclusive club of former England cricketers to hold the title, including Jack Hobbs, Len Hutton and Colin Cowdrey.
"It has been such a special day. I can't put into words what it means, because I am not very good at that, but just for my family it has been a very special occasion," the 34-year-old said.
"I am very lucky to have this at the end of my international career - I don't think I will ever get used to seeing my name with a Sir before it, you never get used to it.
"It is just weird, when you are told you have to just walk and kneel, that you should get so nervous.
"I have played cricket in front of many thousands and done okay but you get just as nervous just walking and kneeling, which is very strange."
Cook captained England in 59 Tests and won four Ashes series as a player - two of them as skipper.
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