What are your thoughts on Flintoff's retirement? Have your say

	Andrew Flintoff during a training session at Lord's on Tuesday © AFP
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Flintoff, who has missed 25 of England's last 48 Tests through a variety of injuries, suffered another fitness scare on the eve of the Lord's Test, when he reported soreness and swelling in the same right knee that required surgery back in April, after he tore his meniscus while playing in the IPL.

Prior to England's practice session on Wednesday morning, Flintoff gave the team talk in a sombre atmosphere, in which it is understood he announced that these would be his last four Tests. Afterwards Paul Collingwood immediately came up and shook him by the hand. When asked if Flintoff was set to retire from Test cricket, an ECB spokesman told Cricinfo to "wait and see".

The knee injury that threatens his participation at Lord's followed a spirited performance in the first Test at Cardiff, in which Flintoff bowled 35 overs but was once again under-rewarded with figures of 1 for 128. Andy Flower, England's coach, remained optimistic on Tuesday that Flintoff will come through a fitness test today and make himself available for selection, and he was seen skipping during England's warm-up in the indoor nets, before padding up for batting practice, then sending down a few overs on the outdoor nets.

But regardless of his immense stature in the England dressing-room, the statistics of Flintoff's recent form and impact on the Test side are not flattering. Since the 2005 Ashes, he has averaged 28.25 with the bat and 34.68 with the ball in 23 Tests (both figures down on his overall Test record), and he has not managed a century or five wickets in an innings in any series since then.

Moreover, he has been unable to impose himself on matches in the same way that he did in his 2005 pomp. Although some leeway has to be made for the quality of the opponents he has faced - Flintoff has often been recuperating during low-key series in preparation for the marquee events - the statistics paint a sorry tale. In the 25 matches that Flintoff has missed since 2005, England have won 12, drawn 10 and lost on only three occasions. In the 23 matches in which he has been present, those numbers are almost exactly reversed - won 3, drawn 7, lost 13.

"I think with Fred and his injury record we're always concerned, to be honest," Flower said. "His body is in that sort of state, at this time of his career, when he seems vulnerable a lot of the time. We can't get away from that, but he's a hell of a player and we want him in our side if fit." He received a cortisone injection on Monday, and is sure to be desperate to play through the pain if he has to.