The opening batsman celebrated his 100th Test match for England against South Africa last week but the series defeat to the Proteas lost England their world number one ranking.
The 35 year-old's decision brings down the curtain on a 100-Test career that peaked with an Ashes victory in Australia 18 months ago.
But since then Strauss' form has dipped and after his side relinquished their place at the top of the Test rankings after the recent 2-0 series defeat against South Africa he believes the time was right to leave the game.
That series was overshadowed due to a rift with Pietersen who was dropped from the team after sending text messages to South African players criticising Strauss and coach Andy Flower.Strauss was keen to stress that the Pietersen issue was "not an influence".
"No, not in anyway, I've been speaking about it for a while," Strauss said at today's press conference at Lord's.
"I first spoke to Andy (Flower) about it prior to the Kevin Pietersen situation and said I would talk to him at end of the (South Africa) series. By the time I spoke to him again my mind was made up and I think he knew that."
Strauss added: "It's a very tough decision. For me the driver to it all quite frankly was my form with the bat. In truth I haven't battled well enough for a long time now.
"I think for a captain to perform his role properly, it's important you're not a passenger in the side, but also that people aren't speculating as to whether you should be in the side or not. I think that would have been too big a distraction to the side going forward.
"It's a hugely sad moment in many ways."
In a statement released on Wednesday Strauss also thanked everyone who had helped him on an “incredible journey” in particular Flower and Duncan Fletcher and said he had “loved every minute of it”.
He said: “It has clearly been a tough decision to make, but I believe that it is both in the best interests of the England cricket team and myself to step down at this stage.
“No one can play international cricket for any length of time without having an incredibly strong support network around them, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family for going through it all alongside me over the course of my England career.
“I am extremely proud of everything I have achieved as a cricketer, and I have found myself very fortunate to play in an era when some of English cricket's greatest moments have occurred.
Strauss made his England bow in 2004 when he scored a century in his first innings against New Zealand.
He first captained England in the absence of Michael Vaughan in 2006 before being given the role permanently in 2009 after Kevin Pietersen resigned from the role.
Throughout his captaincy, England won 25 matches out 50 matches and won two successive Ashes series on their way to becoming the world’s number one Test team.
He scored 7,037 test match runs with a high score of 177 and took a record 121 Test match catches excluding wicket keepers.
David Collier, ECB Chief Executive, said: “On behalf of the ECB and everyone involved in cricket I’d like to thank Andrew Strauss for his outstanding contribution to the game.
“Andrew has been a highly successful captain and opening batsman for Middlesex and England who will be remembered for leading the side to two Ashes victories and to the top of the test rankings.
“He has shown tremendous integrity, dedication and commitment both on and off the field and under his leadership the side has grown immeasurably and reached new levels of professionalism.”
“His legacy within the game will be felt for many years to come and we now need to continue to build on the progress we have made under his leadership.”
His replacement, Cook replaced him as the one day international captain in 2011 and was the England Test match vice captain behind Strauss.
Cook shared gratitude to Strauss’s contribution to English cricket over recent years and said he was an example to follow in the dressing room.
“He has been a fantastic captain,” he said. “He has led from the front for three and a half years and is a true ambassador for the game.
“To have played 100 Tests for your country is a phenomenal achievement and I want to congratulate him on a superb career.
“I know this can’t have been an easy decision for him and everyone in the dressing room will be sad to see him go.
“I’m very excited by this new challenge, it is a huge honour to be appointed Test captain and am very much looking forward to captaining the side in India this winter and beyond but my immediate focus is on this current NatWest one day series.
“Once the series is over I will turn my attention to the Test captaincy and building on the work Andrew has started.”
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