The 37-year-old England right-arm pacer James Anderson feels that he is fit enough to stretch his Test career as he is eyeing to participate in the 2021/22 Ashes series in Australia.
James Anderson is an integral part of the English Test team for a long time. After making his international debut in December 2002, Anderson has played 152 Tests, 194 ODIs and 19 T20Is, where he has taken 587, 269 and 18 wickets respectively. He is England’s most wicket-taker in international cricket as well as in the Test and ODI formats too. Also, as a pacer, Anderson is the most Test wicket-taker.
As his age is growing up, Anderson is facing some fitness issues. Since 2016, he is only focusing on Test cricket for the England team. Due to his fitness issues, Anderson missed out most of the 2019 home summer. But the senior English pacer is now feeling fit enough to continue his Test career for more years.
Anderson is currently busy in the three-match home Test series against West Indies. While he appeared in the opening game of this series at Southampton, where he took three wickets (3/62 & 0/42), he missed out the next Test at Manchester as he was rested from that game. While the third or final Test of this series will begin this Friday (24th July) at Manchester, Anderson has been selected in the final 14-member squad for this match.
I’m a bit more open to it now than I was: James Anderson
Anderson is not only focusing on this forthcoming series-decider Test match but also eyeing to play the 2021/22 Ashes series in Australia.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Anderson said, “Looking at the bigger picture, I want to be around when we go to Australia for the next Ashes, so to be able to do that, I’ve certainly got to do things slightly differently.”
He continued, “It might mean missing the odd game here or there to make sure that I’m in the best possible situation. I want to keep bowling and keep my form, but I also want to look after my body as much as I can as well. I’m a bit more open to it now than I was, say, two or three years ago.”
Last time, England won an Ashes series in Australia in 2010/11 season, where Anderson finished as the most wicket-taker (24 wickets). Since then, they have never won a Test match in Australia yet.