Chris Rogers confirms his Test retirement

Chris Rogers will depart international cricket next week in the form of his life and with some clear thoughts about the short-sightedness of overlooking potential replacement players simply because they might be in the twilight years of their careers.

Rogers, who had indicated before the current Ashes series began it would be his final Test campaign, confirmed to coach Darren Lehmann, captain Michael Clarke and his teammates today in London that this week's final match at The Oval would be his last for Australia.

Relive Rogers' Lord's career-high (restrictions apply)

Despite being Australia's leading runs-scorer of the series to date, the left-handed opener has opted to take a break from the game before deciding whether he will continue his first-class career with Victoria and with English county team Middlesex where he has captained in recent years.

Rogers, who turns 38 at the end of this month, would have become Australia's oldest Test player since former captain Steve Waugh if he had chosen to play on for October's upcoming tour of Bangladesh and the Australia summer that follows it.

But the redrafting of Australia's Test line-up under new captain Steve Smith coupled with the worrying impact of a couple of recent blows to the head he has suffered while batting – one of which forced him to sit out two Tests in the Caribbean with concussion – have convinced Rogers the time is right.

Watch: Rogers forced to retire at Lord's after blow to head (restrictions apply)

Clarke has already announced this will also be his final Test, and it is expected that veteran wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and all-rounder Shane Watson – both axed from the Australia XI during this series – will find it tough to win back their places.

"I have had an amazing couple of years playing for Australia and enjoyed it and been part of some pretty special things, but everything comes to an end," Rogers said at the team's London hotel today as he prepares for his 25th Test, all but one of which he has played since turning 35.

"You are never 100 per cent sure, but I felt like this (Test starting at The Oval on Thursday) was the last one.

Rogers chuckles at first Test six in Cardiff (restrictions apply)

"There's been a few things, particularly the head issues lately, so I am quite happy to call it a day.

"It's time for Australian cricket to make a few changes and bring in a few new guys, a few fresh faces.

"It's going to be a challenging time, particularly for the new guys but that's part of it."

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And while those 'new guys' are already being touted as younger openers such as Test-capped batsman Joe Burns (25) and 22-year-old Cameron Bancroft who has been touring India with Australia A, Rogers urged selectors not to look instinctively past experience.

And having carved out a highly effective and productive Test career for himself in his mid-30s, he mentioned former Victoria and South Australia batsman Michael Klinger, now with Western Australia, as a name to be considered despite having no international experience at age 35.

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Rogers pointed to the fact he was that same age when he was told by Lehmann he would be opening for Australia in the first Test of the 2013 Ashes series in England, and he has been the second-most prolific Test opener in the game (behind his partner David Warner) since then.

Which flew in the face of former Test captain, ex-national selector and current Cricket Australia National Talent Manager Greg Chappell's mantra that it was preferable to opt for youth when a vacancy arose in international cricket.

Rogers reaches seven consecutive fifties in Cardiff (restrictions apply)

"I think you never stop learning," said Rogers, who played a solitary Test in 2008 in place of the absent Matthew Hayden and scored 4 and 15 before being dropped for the next Test when Hayden returned.

"I look back to when I was my mid-20s, and I still had so much to learn about my game.

"That's not to say I couldn't play at that age, but I have only got better over time.

"It's wrong to discount those guys who are getting better. I look at 'Maxy' (Michael) Klinger and I think he is one guy who looks like he is still learning the game and wanting to get better.

"Greg Chappell said to me a few months back that he was wrong about me, and I was quite proud of that.

"I think a few people had a certain impression of me, particularly with my age, and to be able to change that was quite satisfying."

Rogers' former WA teammate and current Test player Adam Voges, who earned his Baggy Green Cap in the Caribbean earlier this year at age 35, is another who the outgoing opener believes has still enough time and opportunity available to him to "make a difference".

Adam Voges makes gritty half-century at Trent Bridge (restrictions apply)

But he has cautioned that it is not simply older, more experienced players who should be considered to remould a Test team that is likely to see four or five changes in personnel in the wake of the disappointingly unsuccessful Ashes campaign.

Rogers said there was no shortage of talented young players throughout Australia's domestic competition to fill whatever vacancies arise in the Test line-up.

But regardless of the age of the next crop of Test cricketers, it was incumbent on the selectors and the Australia public to show patience and provide support while they honed their craft, he claimed.

"There's always going to be players, that's not going to be an issue, it is about them learning on the job," said Rogers who has scored more first-class runs (437) in this Ashes series than anyone bar England's Joe Root, and more first-class runs (in excess of 24,400) than any current Australia player.

Rogers knuckles down for Trent Bridge fifty

"There's going to be a few young guys picked I imagine and then it is about having patience with them.

"They are going to go through tough times because international cricket is very difficult, so it's whether the selectors can be patient enough and stick with them.

"It's going to be interesting.

"I think you do need to bring some youth in, it's how much they (selectors) bring in and whether they want to keep the likes of Adam (Voges) or whoever.

"It's a really tough one for the selectors."

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Rogers admitted today that while he "didn't see any tears" when he broke the confirmation of his retirement to his Australia teammates today, he did shed a few when he posted his maiden Test century against England at Chester-le-Street two years ago.

That breakthrough innings came as an emotional release for a highly driven, ultra professional player who is admired and respected by teammates and opponents alike, and will leave the game enjoying the best individual Test series of his career (currently averaging 62.42 in this campaign).

As well as holding a career-high number nine berth on the ICC's global rankings of Test batsmen, ahead of India's captain Virat Kohli (10) and England's most prolific-ever Test batsman Alastair Cook (19).

"I think I'm ahead of Davey Warner as well – you can write that one," Rogers said of his opening partner who is currently ranked 11, and with whom he has forged a strong bond despite their markedly contrasting ages, techniques and characters.

Rogers and Warner discuss their partnership for cricket.com.au

"It's kind of bittersweet.

"It's pretty special, someone said to me, (because) not many people go out when they're scoring runs or taking wickets, it's generally not how it happens, so that's something to be proud of as well.

"It would've been perfect to have won this (Ashes) series, but it's not to be – England have been deserving winners and we've been outplayed.

"But I think I can be proud that I've played quite well and stood up, and made a little bit of a difference."

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