The ‘brilliant’ tweak James Anderson has made to his game ahead of India series
The esteem Darren Gough holds James Anderson in is evident from the off. “Just class, isn’t he? It’s quite remarkable really,” he says when discussing England’s all-time leading wicket-taker preparing for a Test series in India at the age of 41.
Anderson hasn’t played since last summer’s Ashes series, where he failed to really threaten Australia as he took five wickets at 85.40.
A groin injury had affected him in the build-up to the series but it was still a disappointing return for a bowler whose 690 Test wickets are more than any other seamer in history.
For the five-Test series in India that starts in Hyderabad on Thursday, Anderson will be without his friend and long-time bowling partner Stuart Broad, who retired triumphantly at The Oval in July at the age of 37 after taking the final Australian wicket that sealed a memorable 2-2 Ashes draw for Ben Stokes’ team.
With Broad gone, the dynamics in England’s bowling attack, and squad, will change.
But Anderson’s hunger to play is evident by the fact he has changed his run-up ahead of the India series.
“One thing that was not right was my run-up speed,” he said earlier this week. “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.”
Gough, now managing director at Yorkshire, is an England legend in his own right, arguably the country’s greatest fast bowler of the 1990s who took 229 Test wickets at 28.39.
“It just goes to show the desire to carry on playing,” Gough says of Anderson’s new run-up.
“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.
“Everybody talks about his age but with Jimmy you have to take age out of it. If he keeps taking wickets he keeps playing. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t, it’s that simple.”
Anderson will surely be eyeing up a home Test summer where Sri Lanka and the West Indies are England’s opponents. But how long he can go on for is a question people have been asking for years.
With Broad’s retirement, the end does seem close, especially if he has a tough time during a series in India that is expected to be played on pitches that will wildly favour spin.
“He surprises everyone every year he keeps going, especially now his partner Broady has gone,” says Gough, who will be in India as part of talkSPORT’s radio commentary team.
“I think everybody expected them to go together. It’s not happened. He’s put himself up for a very difficult tour, it tends to be for a fast bowler when you go to India.
“But if he has a good series he can do one more [summer]. If he doesn’t what’s he going to do? Keep going because he wants to go out on a high?
“England might have to make a decision. But you always think with Jimmy he can make that decision because he’s been such an amazing performer for many, many years. When you consider he didn’t average 30 until he got 300 Test wickets it’s crackers.”
Gough and Anderson played together twice in Test cricket, the former’s final two matches in the 2003 home series against South Africa at Edgbaston and Lord’s the latter’s third and fourth appearances.
And he admits he never dreamed that the 21-year-old he lined up alongside 21 years ago would go on to reach such heights.
“I don’t think anybody thinks somebody will get 700 Test wickets, which he’s going to get,” Gough says.
“I think we all thought he’s an immensely skilful bowler. Some of the games he played as a real youngster he swung the ball really late. When you have that kind of skill you’re going to take wickets.
“You always develop as a bowler and 26 or 27 is when you’re at your peak. But he’s done the opposite – he’s peaked after getting past 30. He’s just so accurate.
“Look at the best bowlers of the last 20 years – Glenn McGrath, Shaun Pollock, Anderson, Broad – they’re all bowlers that just bowl wicket to wicket and have control of the ball. They’ve been the best. McGrath and Pollock were ridiculous and Anderson and Broad have followed that up.”
Every ball of England’s five Tests in India will be on talkSPORT 2 and talkSPORT’s YouTube channel
