Ashes 2023: It is no secret that James Anderson has well and truly cemented his place among the pantheon of great test fast bowlers that have graced our game since it’s inception. A career that has spanned for more than two decades, in which a large majority of the 688 test scalps came after the age of 35. Fast bowlers came and went, but James Anderson stayed on, getting better with every passing day just like fine wine. He has time and again reminded England why he is the leader of that pace attack and why he should not be taken lightly even at the ripe old age of 40.
However, it seems that the inevitable clutches of Father Time are finally catching up to even the seemingly infallible Anderson. In the ongoing Ashes series, he has had a less than desirable outing in the first two test matches in Edgbaston and Lords, taking just 3 wickets in the 4 innings that he has bowled in.
The fact that he took just one wicket in a first-day at Lords that had conditions which were absolutely tailor-made for him was an absolutely bizarre experience. Even in the first Test, he was so off-colour that skipper Ben Stokes kept bowling Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson with the new ball despite the situation requiring the experience of Anderson.
Ashes 2023: And So It Seems The Ideal Time For Anderson To Retire!?
To compound things, he was dropped in the recently concluded Headingley Test for pace tyro Mark Wood, who took a fifer in the first innings and played a key role in England halving the deficit to 2-1 and still having a fighting chance this series.
Anderson has been vocal about the quality of the pitches that have been laid out for the series, especially in the first two Tests, going so far to imply that if these are the pitches that will be laid out, it will be the end of him. He has also admitted that he was off-rhythm in the first test because he had just made his return after a 3-week layoff to nurse a groin niggle suffered during his stint at Lancashire in the English County season.
Even if we do consider all things, Anderson has recently been pretty ordinary in the past few tests. In the last 3 Tests that he’s played, he’s taken only 13 wickets, returns that you don’t expect from someone like Anderson, considering that two of the three test matches were held in New Zealand. It is pretty evident that James Anderson is at that point in his career where he appears to be running on fumes, which could probably be one of the reasons that he doesn’t bowl long spells, and a factor in his dropping/resting from the third Test.
Why Go Only For A Strike Bowler With Minimal Batting Ability; When You Have Many Who Can Also Score Crucial Runs!!?
Another factor is his lack of batting ability. Now Ben Stokes might have called him ‘a walking wicket’ in an interview in jest, but there is some truth to it. With the likes of Robinson, Mark Wood, even Josh Tongue for that matter more adept with the bat, it could be time that England could maybe bid adieu to their most accomplished servant. Also there comes a time where the baton has to be passed on to the next crop. This iteration of the English team under Ben Stokes is all set to take the next jump, and it could potentially be doing that without Anderson.
While Anderson could still make a rousing comeback in the next test in Manchester, which also happens to be his home ground, it seems like it will be in the best interests of everyone that he graciously walks into the sunset while the time is right.
Now, for all we know, he may return to take a huge tally of wickets. But honestly, this Ashes should see him conclude his playing career. This, in all fairness to the long list of players, who deserve to be in the Test team now!!
