Recently retired England speedster James Anderson recalled himself gulping down a whole pint of beer at the Lord’s Cricket Ground’s balcony while acknowledging the crowd after his final Test which he hadn’t planned as well. Anderson also admitted that he didn’t know what to expect in his final Test, but he was amazed by the reception he received from all. Notably, the first Test of the ongoing summer against the West Indies was Anderson’s last as the veteran made a whopping 188 appearances in Tests. He also finished with a record 704 wickets and now serves as a bowling mentor for England as well.

Speaking to The Daily Mail, he said, “I wasn’t planning on downing a pint on the balcony. But I just wanted to go out and see what the outfield looked like, it was incredible. I didn’t really know what to expect going into that week, but to see the size of the crowds there, and the reaction that I got walking through the long room, I was amazed and delighted with how that Test went. It was really an amazing few days and just a special occasion, especially with my family and friends there.”

“I found the switch relatively straightforward, because it’s probably been my job for the last 10 or so years, being a senior bowler in the team and helping the other guys by leading the attack on the field and also trying to help new guys settle in. It’s always nice to win Test matches, and I still get a lot of satisfaction out of being part of it,” he again shared.

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However, England captain Ben Stokes had shared how much they will miss the veteran on the field but he feels his presence nevertheless helps the dressing room. With England set to tour Australia for the Ashes next year, James Anderson sees plenty of promise, given their depth on all fronts as well.

“I definitely think we have a good chance. There’s plenty of depth on the bowling front and the important thing is to cover as many bases as possible. Shoaib Bashir has been brilliant on the spin front and Jack Leach, who unfortunately has missed out this summer so far, has got a wealth of experience as a second spinner,” he shared.

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“And then the seamers, it’s trying to get a balance of pace and skill as well. You still need to have good skills going out to somewhere like Australia. Last time, we saw the pitches were quite seamer friendly and moved around a bit. So you need to be consistent with your lines and lengths, as well as having the ability to bowl quick and it feels like there’s a really nice balance and a bit of everything,” James Anderson concluded.