James Anderson's Test Cricket Dilemma

Playing Test cricket over the age of forty is a remarkable accomplishment in and of itself. James Anderson, 41, is deserving of a lot of praise as well since he continues to persevere and is only four wickets away from reaching the 700-wicket mark.

Anderson will most likely arrive to the monument eventually. Will it, however, occur in the current series against India?


That is the issue, particularly given that he seemed utterly frazzled and almost illiterate throughout the third Test in Rajkot, ultimately conceding only one wicket in both innings.

Although Anderson had seen Rishabh Pant's fireworks in the past, he was taken aback by young Yashasvi Jaiswal taking him on all through India's second innings in the last Test. However, it was unexpected that on Sunday, Anderson seemed to have completely run out of ideas and was simply happy to finish the over during which Jaiswal clobbered him for three consecutive sixes.

That was not Anderson-like at all.

Of course, it's usual for cricket players to have a bad game or two, or a lean period. Anderson's style of bowling, which depends heavily on seam and swing, has never been well suited to the Indian conditions.

Anderson has only had patchy success in Indian circumstances; the last time England had won a Test series in India was during the 2012 trip. at the second Test at Visakhapatnam, he did, however, play very well, taking five wickets in the match while only allowing 76 runs to be scored.

However, Anderson was completely helpless on Rajkot's sluggish, flat wicket—and that too during both innings. In the first essay, England did have the opportunity to limit India to much less than 400, but Anderson was unable to cause issues, not even for rookie keeper-batter Dhruv Jurel.

He has obviously slowed down with age. He did seem far sharper than when England had visited India three years before. Now, England might be lost for the rest of this series if he continues to produce periods that have no real penetration.

They have an inexperienced bowling assault, nonetheless.

Given the fast bowler's stellar record in Test cricket, does this mean that captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum need to give him any messages? Former Anderson colleague Monty Panesar, a left-arm spinner for England, said to The Telegraph on Tuesday that "a person's record tends to sugarcoat how he has been performing over the last few months."

"It seems that since you completed 696 Tests, you're entitled to a lean patch. That kind of glosses over how you've been feeling for the last nine or ten months. It makes sense why Jimmy hasn't been the Jimmy that we know.

However, it might be rather challenging to approach someone who has such a stellar record and ask them about his most recent efforts. It takes bravery for Brendon to tell Jimmy that. Perhaps they might question him, "Do you think you're losing the nip?" while they're playing golf. Are you worrying too much?

Jimmy is starting to lose his off-pitch acceleration and ball-off-pitch snap. Panesar, who participated in 50 Test matches and claimed 167 wickets, said, "Seems he's running in quicker with a shorter run-up and trying to compensate through it."

Course on crosswords

Panesar has seen Anderson doing crossword puzzles in the England locker room; this is something the latter used to do often to get himself out of a difficult position.

Crossword puzzles benefit him. He could definitely try it out, Panesar remarked, since he enjoys solving puzzles and they assist to stimulate the intellect.

To surpass Shane Warne (708) as the second-highest wicket-taker in Test matches, Anderson has to claim 13 more scalps. Given the amount of confidence England has in him, he should have the chance to overtake Warne when England plays Sri Lanka and the West Indies in the English summer.

Nevertheless, if Anderson is unable to regain his rhythm and effect, what will England do?

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.