The Ashes 2023 series witnessed a challenging phase for James Anderson, a renowned England’s pace bowler. In the four matches he participated in during the series, the 41-year-old faced significant struggles and managed to secure meager five wickets in four test despite putting in extensive effort, delivering 154 overs in total. His performance led to his exclusion from the third Ashes Test held at Headingley in Leeds.
Anderson is widely regarded as one of the premier fast bowlers of the modern era, known for his exceptional skill and precision. However, during the Ashes series, the Bumley-born cricketer fell far below his usual standards,with a series-average of 85.40. His best figures for an innings were 1/51, and for a single game, they stood at 2/117. These statistics made it evident that Anderson was not at his best, and the burden of leading the bowling attack fell on his fellow fast bowlers.
Anderson’s below-par performance during the Ashes series on home soil stirred discussions among former English cricketers and cricket experts about his future in international cricket. There were questions about whether the English stalwart, given his age and recent form, should continue playing at the highest level.
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Broad stands firmly behind Anderson’s persistent test cricket ambitions
In response to these discussions, Stuart Broad, who had been Anderson’s pace-bowling partner for England over an extended period, voiced his unwavering support for Anderson’s enduring aspirations in Test cricket. During an interview with Sky Sports, Broad expressed his belief that, despite Anderson’s 41 years of age, he possesses the capability and determination required to aim for the remarkable milestone of 700 Test wickets.
“He’s got some wickets to take. I know that in his mind he’s got that carrot dangling in front of him of 700 Test match wickets, which is an incredible club if he can join that. We all wish that he can,” Broad said.
The Nottingham-born cricketer further emphasized that Anderson is in outstanding physical condition and continues to exhibit a strong desire to represent England in Test games.
“He’s 41 and he’s still doing really well. Physically, he’s still in fantastic condition. He’s still really enjoying it and has a huge hunger to continue. We did a couple of commentary stints together and really enjoyed our time doing that. Hopefully, in the future, that might be a little sign of things to come,” the 37-year-old concluded.
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