Cape Town - Sir Alastair Cook has received his knighthood from The Queen in an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old is the all-time leading Test run-scorer, bowing out with a record of 12 472 Test runs in 161 Tests, including 33 hundreds, at an average of 46.95.
He is the first England cricketer to be given the award since Ian Botham in 2007.
Cook announced his retirement in September last year and ended his illustrious 12-year Test career against India at the Oval.
Cook led his country for five years from 2012 to 2017 - winning the Ashes twice on home soil in 2013 and 2015.