Anderson Credits Zaheer Khan for Influencing His Bowling, Praises Bumrah's Reverse Swing

James Anderson, the 41-year-old captain of England's attack, claims he has picked up several fast bowling techniques from Zaheer Khan, notably reverse swing.

The Englishman needs two more wickets to become the first pacer to score more than 700. The only bowlers to surpass that mark are Shane Warne and Muthiah Muralidaran, both spinners.

"I used to observe Zaheer Khan a lot in an effort to try and learn from him. After playing against him quite a few times here, I tried to kind of understand how he utilized the reverse swing and covered the ball," Anderson, who has claimed eight wickets in three Tests during the current series, said to JioCinema.

In 2014, when Anderson was playing at the peak of his abilities, Zaheer—also known as Zak—played his last Test match. Jasprit Bumrah is a "great exponent" of the reverse swing, and Anderson is most pleased with his abilities among the current crop of Indian pacers.

"You are aware that reverse swing has a significant impact in India, and Bumrah is a superb example of that. He moves at a decent clip and is quite precise and reliable.

Few bowlers are as good as Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj. They are elite bowlers. Ishant Sharma is also included, and that's a really potent bowling assault," Anderson said.