The veteran English fast bowler, James Anderson will not be featuring in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane, scheduled to be commencing on Wednesday, December 8, with England looking to manage the workload of their most experienced fast bowler. The management plans to have him ready for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, scheduled to begin just four days after the conclusion of the first game.
The management doesn’t want to risk an injury for James Anderson, considering the lack of build-up and preparation ahead of the series. The veteran pacer could bowl just four overs in the first Ashes 2019 Test at Edgbaston, before a calf injury ruled him out of the match, and subsequently the series.
In a statement regarding the same, ECB wrote: “Jimmy is fit to play, and is not carrying an injury. With five Tests in six weeks the plan was to get him ready for the second Test in Adelaide. With the limited build-up we have had so far on the tour, both him and the management didn’t want to take the risk of him playing after what had happened in 2019 at Edgbaston, when he broke down on the first morning.”
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They further added, “He bowled at full capacity yesterday for just short of an hour and was in a good place physically. He will do the same again today at practice. He will stay with the Test group this week and work with the coaches at the Gabba rather than playing for the Lions.”
English wicket-keeper, Jos Buttler said that the 39-year-old Anderson has been rested for the match as a “precautionary measure” with the second Test being a pink-ball Test and the long series ahead.
Jos Buttler said, “Jimmy is not going to play but he is fit. He was bowling again today … had a few spells in the truncated match. (It’s) just a precautionary measure with an incredibly long series ahead.”
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Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes will be expected to lead the bowling unit in Anderson’s absence, with either or both of Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood set to play their first Test in Australia.
