James Anderson, the veteran England bowler, is eagerly anticipating the upcoming tour of India where England is scheduled to play a series of 5 Test matches.
James Anderson, the renowned fast bowler from England, requires no formal introduction due to his significant contributions to both world cricket and the English team. Acknowledged as one of the premier bowlers, he stands among the top three in the ranking of highest Test wicket-takers, boasting an impressive tally of 690 wickets from 183 Test matches. Currently, Anderson is merely 10 wickets away from joining the exclusive 700 club and a mere 18 wickets away from matching the record set by the Australian cricket legend, Shane Warne.
As England sets itself for the tough five-Test series against India, set to take off on January 25 in Hyderabad, there’s a notable concern about their vulnerability to spin. Effectively opposing India’s fearsome spin trio Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel is vital for success.
In a statement released to The Telegraph, the 41-year-old stressed England’s ambition to employ a more aggressive playing strategy compared to past tours. The team finds encouragement from their recent 3-0 success in Pakistan.
In the lead-up to the India tour, James Anderson devoted ample time to ready himself, focusing particularly on refining his run-up. Reflecting on this period with The Telegraph, Anderson emphasized the pivotal role his run-up played in his performance. He disclosed that the pace of his run-up during the Ashes 2023 didn’t quite align with his needs, prompting him to engage in extensive training during his time away from the field.
“I’m more excited going into this tour than previous tours to India. In the past it has been a real slog and we have tried to grind it out. We will look to play the same way of the last two years but be smart about it.”
“Nobody had us down to win 3-0 in Pakistan and we can take huge confidence from that. Conditions could be similar, not identical, but slow wickets for seamers and we have to be smart,’’ he further added.
Despite admitting his poor performance in the 2023 Ashes series, Anderson remains sure that his dedication and work will eventually bring favorable rewards.
He said: “I feel the last 5-6 years have been the best of my career. Although the Ashes did not go as well as I wanted it to, there have been many series when I have not bowled well throughout my career and it is just a case of putting in the hard work to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“My run-up is the main thing, just trying to make sure it’s better. One thing that wasn’t right was my running speed. I can’t trust that quick twitch snap at the crease that I’ve gotten over the years so I’m working on my velocity in my run-up to get up to speed that way. It seems to be working really well, the ball is coming out really well and I just need to transfer it out.”
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