It’s difficult to imagine even today that a fast bowler can go on to take 700 Test wickets, but England’s 41-year-old veteran James Anderson is just 10 wickets short of the mark, which he targets reaching during the five-Test series in India, where he has arrived with a slight ‘tweak’ in his game.
On the other side of the 40s and still the leader of the attack after his long-time bowling partner Stuart Broad retired last season, Anderson comes into the India series with no cricket under his belt since his meager returns in the Ashes while managing a groin injury.
But Anderson’s desire to strive for excellence in the home straight of his storied career is evident in the change he has brought in his run-up for the five-Test series in India.
“One thing that was not right was my run-up speed,” a report in ‘inews.co.uk’ quoted him saying. “I can’t rely on that fast-twitch snap at the crease I’ve had over the years, so I’ve been working on my momentum to get speed that way. The ball is coming out really well.”
Talking about Anderson’s “desire to carry on”,
Darren Gough, another England fast-bowling great, said a change as major as tweaking your run-up can also lead to injuries.
“The only thing is when you’ve been doing something so long as Jimmy has, when you start quickening up, you bring more injuries into play, more hamstring, calf, groin-type injuries. When you start having injuries they tend to follow you.
“He’s such an athlete. But changing your run up? It could be absolutely brilliant but like anything, when you change your dynamics, it could set off injuries. Let’s hope not because I think even at his age he can perform,” Gough added.
The first India-England Test begins on January 25 in Hyderabad.