Andrew Strauss was dropped for England’s Test tour of Sri Lanka on this day in 2007.
The then 30-year-old Middlesex opener missed out on the three-match series just one month after he was given a year-long central contract by England.
Chairman of selectors David Graveney noticed Strauss’ dip in form but backed the batter to fight for his place, saying: “Andrew hasn’t performed to the level he can do in terms of play.
“He’s extremely disappointed, understandably, and it would be strange if he wasn’t.
“But he’s a fighter and we believe he will come back into the frame very quickly.”
Strauss made an impressive start to his international career, making scores of 112 and 83 against New Zealand on his Test debut in 2004 after he replaced the injured England captain Michael Vaughan, becoming only the fourth man to score a century at Lord’s on debut.
Strauss scored 126 in South Africa the following winter, becoming only the seventh Test player to record a hundred in his first match at home and away.
He went on to captain both England’s Test and limited-overs teams, but his form dipped through 2007 and he was dropped from the Test team after playing 43 matches.
Strauss earned a recall to the side for the 2008 tour of New Zealand and worked his way back with a career-best 177 at Napier.
Following Kevin Pietersen’s resignation, Strauss was appointed captain on a permanent basis for the 2008–09 tour of the West Indies and led England to a 2-1 Ashes victory over Australia the following summer.
The win saw Strauss join Mike Brearley and Len Hutton as the only England captains to win the Ashes both home and away, and he led England to a 4-0 win over India in 2011 to climb to the top of the Test world rankings.
Strauss announced his retirement from cricket in August 2012 following his 100th Test, at the age of 35, making 7,037 Test runs at an average of 40.91. He was knighted in September 2019.
