Joe Root is ready to replace Andrew Strauss as Alastair Cook’s opening partner in Test cricket, according to Yorkshire’s first-team coach Jason Gillespie.

Strauss announced his retirement from all forms of cricket today to leave a gap at the top of the order ahead of their seven Tests this winter in India and New Zealand, starting in November and then February.

England’s selectors have a number of options to assess, the most viable being Michael Carberry, Jonathan Trott to move up the order from number three or Yorkshire star Root.

The 21-year-old, capped by Yorkshire before Tuesday’s first day of the ongoing LV= County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Scarborough, is his county’s leading run-scorer with 668, including a career-best 222 not out against Hampshire at Southampton.

He has also impressed at the top of the order for the England Lions.

“I’ve absolutely no doubt that he’s ready,” said Gillespie, during today’s washed-out day two at Scarborough. “The kid can play. It's whether the selectors feel he needs a bit more grounding in first-class cricket. That's up to the selectors to decide but he's a very good prospect.

“There's a lot to like about Joe. He's desperate to be successful and he leaves no stone unturned in his quest to be the best cricketer he can be. I think he's a fantastic team player.

“You've seen this year in different forms of the game that he changes his style to suit the situation. He puts the needs of the team above his own.

“I think those kind of things get noticed - they certainly do with me, his coach at Yorkshire. I certainly don't want to be biased because there's a lot of wonderful players around but this is potentially a really good opportunity.”

Strauss has handed over the captaincy reins to Cook on the back of 100 Tests and 50 as captain after a difficult summer, which included a series defeat against South Africa and the Kevin Pietersen saga.

“Straussy didn't say that (Pietersen) affected his decision,” said Gillespie. “I think it was just another unnecessary add-on that he didn't need. Andrew Strauss is a pretty straight-talking man, he's very open and honest.

“I suspect he's probably had this in his mind for a couple of months now. I don't think it's come to a head in the last couple of days. I suspect that Straussy had that moment of clarity and said 'you know what, that's me'.

“I can recall mine, the moment where I knew I'd had enough quite clearly.

“I was in the middle of a spell for South Australia against Victoria, I was down at fine leg and my mind drifted to that night.

“I was thinking about where I was going to go for a meal and a beer. I had a moment of absolute clarity and said 'I'm not even thinking about bowling and I'm in the middle of a spell for my team'.

“Coupled with that, I'd had a couple of conversations about joining the Twenty20 Indian Cricket League, so it was an absolute moment of clarity that said 'I'm done'. I finished that game against Victoria with a clear mind having discussed it with my wife. I also had a nice meal and a couple of beers that night I was talking about.”

Meanwhile, Yorkshire’s Twenty20 overseas batsman David Miller is meeting with his South African franchise, the Dolphins, tomorrow to try and persuade them to allow him to represent the White Rose county in October’s Champions League.

Gillespie also hopes his own friendship with Dolphins coach Lance Klusener will help sway the decision.