James Anderson, the 41-year-old ageless wonder who has won acclaim for his fitness and pace despite his age, took to Instagram in May to announce that the first Test of the summer against the West Indies on July 10 will mark James Anderson‘s final international appearance. Ahead of his retirement Test match, England pace veteran James Anderson opened up on his future and listed things that left unachieved in his illustrious 22-year-old Test career.
James Anderson, the 41-year-old ageless wonder who has won acclaim for his fitness and pace despite his age, announced in May on Instagram that the first Test of the summer against the West Indies on July 10 will mark his final international appearance.
James Anderson’s dominating Test career
The seasoned pacer James Anderson has dominated red-ball cricket with his mastery of the swing as well as the reverse swing.
He made his debut in the Test format against Zimbabwe at The Lord’s, and he will bid farewell to fans as a player at the same venue.
His 6/17 against Pakistan in the first Test in 2010 at Trent Bridge still echoes the prowess of his remarkable career. He left Pakistan batters Salman Butt, Shoaib Malik, Azhar Ali, and many more players speechless. In 187 Tests, Anderson has taken 700 wickets at an average of 26.52, with the best bowling figures of 7/42. He has also taken 269 wickets in 194 ODIs for England and 18 wickets in 19 T20Is.
The England series against the West Indies will start from July 10 at Lord’s and will see Three Lions play three Tests. Speaking on the Tailenders Podcast on Thursday, Anderson opened up about his future, saying that he would like to do both television punditry and coaching after he hangs up his boots.
James Anderson reveals how bowling like Australian Test captain Pat Cummins has helped him in his career before the 1st test vs WI
Veteran England seamer James Anderson recently came forward to reveal that he is a big fan of Australia pacer Pat Cummins’ action. He also described an incident when copying Cummins’ action helped Anderson even get a wicket, helping him get out of a slump in his form.
There is no argument that Cummins has established himself as one of the most consistent pacers in world cricket. Cummins also held the No. 1 Test rankings for more than two years and has even succeeded as the red-ball skipper of the Aussies.
In a recent interview, James Anderson came forward to reveal how he was advised by compatriot Mark Wood to bowl more like Pat Cummins to take wickets. He recalled the moment from the Galle Test in Sri Lanka after Anderson was feeling very stiff.
“I really like Pat Cummins’ action. There was a Test match in Galle in Sri Lanka where I was feeling really stiff after lunch. Mark Wood was at mid-off and I said: ‘I’m going to copy Pat Cummins’ action now and try to bowl like him.’ I got a wicket in that over and Woody said: ‘You should bowl like him all the time,” James Anderson said on the Tailenders podcast.
James Anderson praises Pat Cummins
Furthermore, James Anderson heaped even more praise on Pat Cummins, stating that the snap in his bowling makes him an even more dangerous bowler to deal with.
“He’s got an amazing snap. When he gets to the top of his action, everything seems to go really quick. When he bowls the ball, he just snaps through the crease. Because I was feeling stiff and a bit sluggish, I was trying to recreate that speed and it worked,” Anderson said.
It is worth noting that Anderson will be playing his 188th and final Test during the Lord’s Test against the West Indies which is set to begin from July 10. With over 700 wickets under his name, the veteran needs just nine more to become the second-highest wicket-taker of all time in Test cricket.
James Anderson wishes to take an test hattrick
With Stuart Broad possessing two Test hat-tricks, Anderson hilariously revealed that he keeps boasting of it and wanted to have at least one. The veteran also lamented getting close to a Test hundred in 2014 but missed out.
“Just for bragging rights in the pub, I wish I had taken a Test hat-trick. Stuart Broad bangs on about his two quite a lot and he’ll always have that on me. I never got a Test hundred either and I was so close at Trent Bridge. I made 81 against India in 2014. I thought I was getting one there, but I didn’t make it.”
The 187-Test veteran prepared for his farewell Test by recently taking a six-for against Nottinghamshire.