LONDON: James Anderson, the England seamer, downplayed his achievement of becoming the first fast bowler to reach 700 Test wickets. He is focusing to secure his position in the team for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
Despite, recently reaching the historic milestone, Anderson expressed that it holds little significance for him, especially as England suffered a 4-1 series defeat in the crucial ICC World Test Championship series. While he was one of England’s top bowlers during the series, claiming 10 wickets at an average of 33.50, Anderson couldn’t shake off a sense of emptiness due to England’s poor performance in the latter stages of the five-match series.
Anderson shared with his colleagues on BBC’s Tailenders Podcast his sentiment about achieving 700 Test wickets, expressing, “It was a pleasant moment, particularly to do it at such a picturesque ground.” Reflecting on the achievement, he thought, “Perhaps I would have felt more exhilarated if we had secured victory in the Test or the series.”
James Anderson Excited for Next Series Against WI, SL After 700 Test wicket Milestone for England
As England enters a break until July before facing their next World Test Championship opponents, Anderson is eager to resume training, aiming to secure his spot in the upcoming three-Test series against West Indies and Sri Lanka at home this summer. Despite turning 42 during the series against West Indies, Anderson faces competition from fellow pace bowlers like Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, and Gus Atkinson.
However, Anderson remains content with his performance in the India series and is confident in replicating it at home. Asserting his fitness, he remarked, “I’m not regressing. I’m arguably in the best shape of my career.” He finds joy in honing his skills daily and recognizes the necessity of proving his worth for a spot in the team, acknowledging, “My place is not guaranteed, so I must strive to earn it.”
