When was the last time you wrote a letter? And what about writing a thank-you letter?

Mine was probably for Christmas presents as a kid; press-ganged to putting pen to paper by my mum.

In these days of tweets and emails, it sounds pre-historic to think of buying an envelope and stamp to tell somebody something – and them having to wait a day or two to read it.

But Andrew Strauss insisted on writing to every cricketer in the England dressing room to announce he was stepping down as captain.

Perhaps that’s just as well given the furore over an erstwhile colleague’s communications with the other team via his mobile.

But it says so much for his traditional values that Strauss should reveal his decision in the honoured fashion.

And how refreshing that he should hold his hand up for his own lack of runs with the bat – rather than the soap opera surrounding Kevin Pietersen – as the only reason for his departure.

It would have been easy to point the finger at the KP shenanigans and nobody would have blamed him for it. But Strauss has kept a diplomatic stance on the saga right to the end.

It is the right moment for him to go. Having reached three figures in Test appearances – a personal achievement that was typically overshadowed by the selfish actions of someone who wasn’t even there – Strauss has no more targets to aim for.

His position at the top of the order, written in stone for so long, has become shakier as the scores have dried up. Now is the time to blood a young gun such as Yorkshire’s Joe Root and start to rebuild for the longer term.

Alistair Cook will bring similar values to the captaincy role. But inevitably Pietersen will be back in the fold, possibly sooner rather than later, and further waves will follow.

Strauss is best off out of it. On his own terms and with head held high.

England should remember a brave and determined batsman, a captain who led them to the top of the international Test tree and – just as importantly – a person who never let them down on or off the field.