Ashes 2023: James Anderson Had No Impact At All, It May Have Cost England – Michael Vaughan On England Veteran’s Poor Form in Ashes

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan said that James Anderson was a sentimental pick more than a tactical one in the fourth test of the ongoing Ashes Series in England. The 40-year-old was picked in the playing 11 for the 4th test despite having Joshua Tongue in the squad.

Anderson’s place in the team came under the scanner in the ongoing series. The England pacer could not make an impactful performance for his team, as he picked up only four wickets across five innings for the team, as he could not swing and seam movement with the new ball and the reverse swing in the old ball as he picked up only 4 wickets in the three games of the 5-match series.

Speaking to the media, Michael Vaughan feels that James Anderson was the sentimental pick for the 4th test with Manchester being his home soil, and reckons that it might have cost the series for England as he had no impact in the series and also feels that it was an unusual outing for the England veteran.

“We all agreed that James Anderson deserved to have that sentimental pick this week because he’s a legend of the game, but it may have cost England. In the three games Anderson has played he’s had no impact at all. I don’t remember him picking up a key wicket. It’s not like him at all,” Michael Vaughan said.

James Anderson has been recalled in the XI in place of Ollie Robinson, who had broken down in the third Test but could not make an impactful performance for the team in the fourth test. Anderson returned from a groin injury, sustained playing for Lancashire in a county game, at the start of the series, and was some way short of his best.

I Know Australia Don’t Like Facing Josh Tongue – Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan hailed young Josh Tongue, who has impressed everyone in the second test of the Ashes series has made an impact straightaway for the team in the game, and said that the Australian batters were not comfortable against the England pacer in the team.

“Josh Tongue is a young quick who has created impact in the one Test I played. I know Australia doesn’t like facing him,” Michael Vaughan added.

In his debut test against Ireland, The young Tongue performed well in 2nd innings as he got an opportunity in the team in the absence of James Anderson and Mark Wood in the side, as he played his role to perfection being the third seamer in the side picking up maiden 5-wicket haul in Test cricket.