Stuart Broad, the retired England cricketer, commended James Anderson for his recent milestone, asserting that no fast bowler will surpass him in the foreseeable future. The 37-year-old emphasized the need to appreciate Anderson now, considering his consistent prowess in troubling batsmen over the last two decades.
On Day 3 of the fifth Test between India and England in Dharamsala, Anderson achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first pacer and the third overall to claim 700 wickets in Test cricket. His parents were in attendance at the venue, celebrating their son’s accomplishment as he dismissed Kuldeep Yadav.
In his article for The Daily Mail, Broad stated:
“It’s a phenomenal achievement and not one I can see another fast bowler matching. When people talk about Jimmy, they mention the dedication and the mental resilience to keep driving forward, and obviously, you don’t play until you’re 41 without that but this is now the time we should just marvel at his skill, really, because that is what it has taken to get that many wickets in different conditions, challenging the best batters in the world for more than 20 years.”
However, the seasoned player with 167 Tests under his belt sensed that India’s commanding innings victory overshadowed Anderson’s achievement.
“It’s a shame in a way that he will not be able to remember joining the elite company of Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan for slightly better reasons in the sense that his moment came in a bit of a thumping at the end of a long tour for England.”
Anderson concluded the match with two wickets as India secured a resounding victory by an innings and 64 runs. Despite losing the first Test in the series, the hosts mounted a strong comeback, winning the subsequent four matches convincingly and sealing a 4-1 scoreline.
“I was partly wishing he would have been on 699 returning to Lord’s”- Stuart Broad
Broad acknowledged his desire to witness Anderson achieving his 700th wicket at Lord’s so that he could personally extend his congratulations.
“Selfishly, part of me was hoping he’d be on 699 coming back to Lord’s this summer and that I could be there to witness it with so many other England fans. Given our close working relationship over the years, I’d have loved to be one of the 10 guys walking off behind him, giving him a clap.”
The 37-year-old humorously suggested that Anderson might contemplate retirement only when he reaches the age of 65.
“How long will he go on for as a Test bowler? It’s a question people will naturally ask but I honestly have no idea. Jimmy’s an addict, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. It’s so ingrained in him that he sometimes gives the impression that he wants to retire at the traditional UK age of 65.”
Considering the upcoming Ashes series away from home next year, Broad contemplated if Anderson will extend his career to participate in it.
“He will know when the time’s right to go, and only he can make that call. Is it possible that he would play in the next Ashes away? Yes. Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes would want him to go on for the next 18- 24 months, but he will be 43 then and I don’t necessarily think he’ll be looking that far ahead.”
Despite Anderson’s notable milestone, the media in England expressed significant criticism following the team’s first series loss under Ben Stokes.
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