New Delhi: England’s swing king James Anderson, who will call it quits on international cricket after the upcoming first Test against West Indies, recently opened up on the retirement chat that he had with England’s “big dogs” – captain Ben Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum, and Director of Cricket Rob Key. The England cricket leadership trio had invited the veteran pacer to a hotel to discuss his future before the start of the English summer, a call that did not come as a surprise to Anderson.
Anderson had earlier announced that he would hang the boots on his international career, making the first Test between England and the West Indies at Lord’s his last outing as a professional cricketer. It is going to be an emotional swansong for the pace legend when the two team contest in the series opener in London from Wednesday. Anderson seems to have finally accepted his fate, coming to terms with Test retirement at last.
“I wouldn’t say it was a surprise,” James Anderson recalled the meeting he had with the leadership group of the England Test team. The right-arm quick rather said that he thought to have surprised the trio with the calmness that he reacted with.
“When the three big dogs invited me to a hotel in Manchester for a chat I didn’t think it was just a normal appraisal. I had a suspicion that that was going to be the case. I think they were surprised at how calm I was when I reacted. I was probably surprised at my reaction. I wasn’t overly emotional or angry. I saw their point of view and appreciated them taking the time to lay it out for me,” he added.
The end of an incredible era 😭😭😭#EnglandCricket | @Jimmy9 pic.twitter.com/1Pd5lidaLv
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 8, 2024
Let’s hear your favourite ever Jimmy wicket 👇
A few here to jog your memory…#EnglandCricket | @jimmy9 pic.twitter.com/INlmbVvUSo
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 8, 2024
Stuart Broad on outgoing Anderson
Anderson’s long-time bowling partner Stuart Broad, who retired from international cricket at 37 after the Ashes series against Australia last year, wrote a column for The Times that was filled with praises of his former teammate. The duo wreaked havoc at home and overseas Tests and were a crucial part of the Test team.
“He loves the rhythm of running into the bowl, the control of the technique of his action, the tactical side of whether he’s bowling away swing, inswing, wobble seam,” Broad wrote in his column.
“When you talk about professionals who have had longevity, you often talk about their dedication to training, their discipline in the gym and their diet. And of course, you don’t play to 42 unless you have that, but the thing that makes him different is his genuine love of the art of what he does. Addict is generally used as a negative word, but I’d say he is an addict of the art of bowling,” Broad lauded the veteran pacer.
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📍 Lord’s Cricket Ground, London#EnglandCricket | @Jimmy9 pic.twitter.com/yrp8XyBZgF
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 8, 2024
It was widely expected that Anderson would follow his longtime teammate for retirement, but the pacer extended his career and went on to play a five-Test series against India earlier this year. Anderson picked up 10 wickets in the four Tests that he got to play.
Ahead of the final Test of his career, James Anderson recently revealed how he was approached and informed about his future in international cricket by the England cricket team management. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
