Former England national cricket team pacer Stuart Broad has openly said that the selfish part of him wanted the veteran pacer. James Anderson getting stranded on 699 Test wickets in the Dharamsala Test against Indian National Cricket Team.
Anderson did not fulfill the wish of ‘selfish’ Stuart Broad when he managed to take two wickets in the fifth Test against India to reach the historic milestone of 700 Test wickets at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.
The 41-year-old became the first pacer in the history of the game to achieve this feat and overall is the third bowler after spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne. He will be keeping an eye on Warne’s record as he only needs 9 wickets to surpass the great Australian’s wicket tally.
Broad was extremely proud of his long-time bowling partner for achieving the historic milestone, but wanted to see the veteran pacer achieve the 700-wicket feat at Lord’s in front of the England fans.
“Selfishly, part of me hoped he would return to Lord’s this summer in the 699 and that I could be there to witness it with so many other England fans. Given our close working relationship over the years, I would have loved to have been one of the 10 guys who walked up behind him and slapped him,” Broad wrote in his column for the Daily Mail on Sunday.
He also hilariously said that Anderson might retire from cricket at the age of 65. He said:
“How long will he stay as a Test bowler? It’s a question people will naturally ask, but I honestly have no idea. Jimmy is an addict, and I mean that in the best way possible. It is so ingrained in him that sometimes it gives the impression that he wants to retire at the traditional age of 65 in the UK.”
Notably, England will host the West Indies for a three-match Test series in July 2024. James Anderson will most likely be part of the England squad for the series and the opening match will be played from July 10 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Is it possible that he will play in the next Ashes away from home? Yes – Stuart Broad
Broad also expressed optimism about Anderson’s participation in next year’s Ashes. He highlighted how the captain-coach duo of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum want it to continue for 18 to 24 months.
“He will know when the time is right and only he can make that decision. Is it possible for him to play in the next Ashes away from home? Yes. Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes would want him to continue for the next 18 to 24 months, but then he will be 43 and I don’t necessarily think he will look that far ahead.”
Stuart Broad further said that James Anderson’s milestone of 700 Test wickets will remain intact and no pacer will be able to play for so long to pick those many wickets. He stated:
“It’s a phenomenal achievement and I can’t imagine any other fast bowler matching it. When people talk about Jimmy, they mention dedication and mental toughness to keep moving forward and obviously you don’t play until you’re 41 without that, but now is the time we should marvel at his ability, really. because that is what it has taken to get so many wickets in different conditions, challenging the best batsmen in the world for over 20 years.”
Meanwhile, Broad opined that Anderson’s historic milestone was overshadowed by England’s one-innings, 64-run thrashing of India in Dharamshala.
“In some ways it’s a shame he can’t remember joining the elite company of Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan for slightly better reasons, in that his moment came with a bang at the end of a long tour for England. “
England began the Test series against India with a surprising victory. However, as the series progressed, the team’s bazball approach was exposed and they lost four games.He is trotting.