James Anderson has retired from international cricket a few days back. The 41-year-old pacer has achieved a career feat of 704 Test wickets. He is the only pace bowler to achieve the milestone. He played his final Test match in the same stadium where he made his debut 21 years ago against Zimbabwe. It is the iconic Lord’s Stadium, in London. Over two decades his bowling has seen ups and downs.
He has dismissed Sachin Tendulkar 9 times in his career with Virat Kohli dismissed 7 times in 25 Tests. This marks the legacy he has brought in the longest format of the game. His prowess in bowling in the same line and length over the years has made him the greatest fast bowler in the history of the game. Jimmy has worked hard and shown immense dedication towards the game. He is the only pacer to play till the age of 41.
Now that he has retired from cricket, the speedster has joined England’s coaching staff. The Three Lions will take on West Indies in the second Test and this will be the first time since 2012. They will not be featuring Stuart Broad and James Anderson in the side. Ben Stokes’s side will be having a new setup in the upcoming test.
James Anderson’s mentorship will have good effects on English bowlers
Anderson has joined the side as the mentor. Though there are some experienced guys in the attack with Chris Woakes and Mark Wood. But they will not have a prolonged career as the former pacer. Gus Atkinson was impressive in his debut with 12 wickets in the first test.
However, Matthew Potts and the uncapped Dillon Pennington wait patiently on the bench for their opportunities. This is the very reason Anderson has joined the squad as a mentor. The experience he has carried across the two decades will be valuable for the new pace attack of England. They are preparing for the upcoming Ashes series next year.
His insights on swing bowling, seam movement, and mental aspects of the game are expected to be useful to both young and experienced bowlers. The capacity to adapt to varied situations in the game is likely to inspire and guide the next generation.
