Former England captain Michael Vaughan has expressed his belief that James Anderson should be rested for the third Ashes Test against Australia, scheduled to be held at Headingley from July 6-10. Vaughan’s comments come in light of Anderson’s underwhelming performance in the ongoing series, having managed only three wickets across four innings in the first two Tests. According to Vaughan, Anderson has been lacking his usual spark and could benefit from a break. He suggested bringing in someone like Mark Wood, who offers additional pace.

“With three Tests to go, he certainly can’t play all of them. I would leave him out next week. He’s had no impact, which is unusual for Jimmy Anderson. He’s normally sharp in the field, but I’ve seen him drop catches. His bowling has lacked that zip, and if England wants to adopt the short ball theory, they should consider someone like Mark Wood, who can provide extra pace,” as per the quotes in NDTV, Michael Vaughan commented during an interview with Cricbuzz.

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Vaughan further emphasized that Anderson, at 40 years old, cannot be expected to play in all five Tests and should be given some rest. However, he did not rule out the possibility of Anderson returning to the side for the fourth Test at his home ground, Old Trafford.

“I’m not saying Jimmy is done. He could miss the next week and potentially play at Old Trafford, his home ground, in the fourth Test. Giving him a week off would be beneficial. At 41 years of age, he probably needs a little breather after bowling on two consecutive matches on flat pitches.”

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“He’s nearing the end, but he’ll hope to make a significant contribution and that his team can secure a victory tomorrow to level the series. However, even if they achieve that, I’ve seen enough this week to suggest that he needs a break. Resting him now and playing him at Old Trafford could be the way forward,” Michael Vaughan added.

The decision to rest James Anderson for the third Test would provide an opportunity for him to rejuvenate and come back stronger for the remaining matches of the Ashes series.