James Anderson, hailed as England’s greatest-ever bowler, is gearing up for his retirement from Test cricket. The 41-year-old will bid farewell to the game in his final Test match against the West Indies at Lord’s, beginning on July 10th.
James Anderson, one of England’s greatest-ever bowlers, is set to retire from Test cricket after an illustrious 21-year career. The 41-year-old will play his final Test match against the West Indies at Lord’s, starting on July 10th.
Although Anderson feels a part of him could continue playing for another decade, he acknowledges that it is time to pave the way for the next generation. Since making his Test debut at the age of 20 in 2003, Anderson has become an iconic figure in English cricket. He has taken a record 700 Test wickets, more than any other pace bowler in history.
Anderson’s skill with the red ball is unparalleled, maintaining the ability to move the ball both ways at a good pace even late in his career. Just eight more wickets would see him tie with Australian legend Shane Warne’s record for second on the all-time list.
On the Tailenders podcast, Anderson discussed his upcoming retirement after the first Test match of the English summer against the West Indies in July. The Lord’s Test will be his last, as the England management has informed the 41-year-old that they want to focus on the future of their seam-bowling attack.
“In my head, I feel like I could play for 10 years. I realize that is not realistic. Some days I wake up and wish I was not retiring. Ninety per cent of the time I’m happy with it. Not many people in sports get the chance to retire over the age of 40. I’m happy I’ve made it this far,” he said on the Tailenders podcast.
Anderson mentioned that the thought of retiring was always on his mind, largely because of external chatter. He admitted that speculation about his future became a significant topic of discussion during the final stages of his career.
“There’s been two or three moments on the field, if the opposition are 500-3, I’ll be thinking, ‘do I want to still be doing this?’ They are fleeting thoughts, nothing that has stuck with me for more than an over,” he further added.
“I don’t know how much of that was me, and how much it was the external noise that comes with ageing. For the last six years, or even longer, it’s been, ‘how long can you go on for? That in itself, certainly for the last couple of years, has been quite draining,” Anderson concluded.
During the final Test of England’s series in India earlier this year, Anderson claimed his 700th Test wicket. He holds the record for the most Test wickets by any fast bowler in history and ranks third overall among all Test wicket-takers.
