Veteran England pace bowler James Anderson, 40, came under the limelight when he opened on his retirement plans. He has already been the highlight of this Ashes 2023 series due to his below-par performance so far.
Australia retained the Ashes 2023 after the fourth test match ended in a draw due to the rain, which washed out the last day of gameplay. Australia are currently leading the series 2-1 but the hosts will also look no down to give their all efforts to win the last Ashes test and level the series.
James Anderson, who has 689 Test wickets to his name, has only come to clinch four wickets in the three Tests of this series at a hugely expensive average of 76.75. He took just one wicket at Old Trafford after being rested for England’s win in the third Test at Headingley.
Anderson Expressed His Hunger To Play More Test Cricket
Amidst all the chaos and criticism, he is standing strong and has expressed his desire to play more cricket for the England side. In his latest column for the Telegraph, he wrote about the things that he feels. He admitted that he wasn’t able to meet the expectations in the ongoing Ashes series and couldn’t deliver for his team. He wrote:
“I have certainly not had the returns I would have liked in this series. Everyone goes through a lean patch but you just don’t want it to be in the most high-profile series we play. Ten or 15 years ago the debate would be about whether I should be dropped. Now it is about my future. I understand that. It is the Oval, the end of a series and a time for speculation.”
Further, Anderson expressed that he loves playing Test cricket and he still has a hunger in him. He wrote:
“I love playing Test cricket as much as I ever have and this is my favorite period as an England cricketer. Just being around this group, the way we play, and how we enjoy ourselves on the field. There are no thoughts about retirement.”
He further added:
“If I was bowling horrendously, with my pace down and hobbling around in the field I might be thinking differently. But the hunger is still there. I feel like I’m bowling well, that I can still offer something to the team. I felt like I bowled well at Old Trafford and if I get another chance this week, I will just keep trying the same stuff and hope my luck changes.”
“The funny thing is, you know you’re having a bad series when everyone else has footage of their wickets clipped together and put up on Instagram but the only post about me is doing kick-ups with the cricket ball when it has been patted back to me out in the middle.”
