In the ongoing Test series between India and England, the absence of veteran England pacer James Anderson from the playing XI has sparked some humorous commentary. Michael Vaughan, in a discussion on the ‘Club Prairie Fire’ podcast, took a playful jab at Anderson’s adjustments to his run-up.
Vaughan began by acknowledging that Anderson, with just 10 wickets away from reaching his 700th Test wicket, has been working on his run-up. However, the former England skipper added a humorous twist, suggesting that, at the age of 46, Anderson has only just found his run-up. This lighthearted remark drew a few chuckles from his fellow podcast participants.
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” Well, he has worked on his run-up. I mean, I think at the age of 46, as you mentioned Prof, he’s finally found his run-up. He’s getting close to 700 Test wickets, so it’s a bit of a warning for the rest of the world that he has found his run-up,” quipped Michael Vaughan.
Gilly is sick of talking about Jimmy Anderson’s new run up 🏃♂️ and England 🏴 in general, so he says goodbye 👋 to guest Phil Tufnell in a hilarious way 🤣 #ClubPrairieFire pic.twitter.com/JnryXkehbl
— Club Prairie Fire (@clubprairiefire) January 25, 2024
Despite being a light-hearted comment, it underlines the fact that James Anderson, the leading wicket-taker among fast bowlers in Test cricket, has been left out of the playing XI for the first Test against India. Mark Wood is the lone pacer representing England in the match.
With 690 wickets in his Test career, Anderson is on the cusp of a remarkable milestone. However, the decision to exclude him for the first Test suggests a strategic choice by the England team. The Bazball strategy adopted by England might face a unique challenge in the turning conditions of India, where the hosts have won 16 consecutive Test series at home.
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As the match progresses, both Ben Stokes and Rohit Sharma, the captains of England and India respectively, aim to maintain their unbeaten streaks in Test series. India, currently ranked second in the World Test Championship (WTC) table, eyes victory to claim the top spot, replacing defending champions Australia. The Bazball strategy, with its aggressive approach, may encounter difficulties in the spin-friendly conditions of India, where Indian spinners have already taken all three wickets in the ongoing Test.
