Veteran fast bowler James Anderson has openly discussed his retirement plans and expressed his desire to end his illustrious career on a positive note. The 41-year-old Lancashire pacer, with an impressive record of 695 wickets in 185 Tests, is eyeing a memorable exit. He is currently behind legendary spinner Shane Warne (708) and former Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan (800) in terms of most wickets in international red-ball cricket.
Despite being in action against India, Anderson has made it clear that he has no intention of delaying his retirement decision. Taking inspiration from former cricketer Eoin Morgan, who unceremoniously announced his retirement, Anderson looks forward to the moment when he instinctively realizes that it is time to bid farewell.
ALSO READ: Parthiv Patel Commends Sarfaraz Khan For Not Having Nerves On Debut
“I would like to be able to go out on a good note. I don’t want to drag it out, and people are thinking: ‘Can you just do one.’ Morges (Morgan) woke up last year and knew it was time to shut it down. I’m just hoping that’s the case,” James Anderson told The Telegraph.
IND vs ENG
‘Privileged’ James Anderson opens up on retirement plans, says he wants to ‘go out on a high’#INDvsENG #Anderson https://t.co/uE914VVPwo
— India Today Sports (@ITGDsports) February 16, 2024
With his target of 700 Test wickets in mind, James Anderson is on the verge of becoming the only fast bowler to achieve this remarkable feat. Despite his unwavering commitment to England’s interests, he recognizes the privilege of being able to make this decision himself.
ALSO READ: Indian Team Penalized With 5 Penalty Runs In Rajkot Test Against England
“I feel fortunate to be in a position where I can take decisions because, as a bowler, usually with injuries or selection it is out of your hands. It would be nice to go out on your own terms, but when that happens, you’ll just have to wait and see,” James Anderson said.
On the morning of the second day in Rajkot, Anderson took the wicket of Kuldeep Yadav, moving one step closer to the record of the historic 700th wicket.
