NEW DELHI: Andrew Strauss, who has been involved with James Anderson's Test career in various capacities, supports the decision to bring the paceman's illustrious journey to a close.
With the 2025/26 Ashes series in Australia approaching, Strauss believes the timing is right for England to move forward.
Anderson, aged 41, is set to make his 188th and final Test appearance against the West Indies at Lord's on Wednesday. His remarkable career, spanning over two decades, has seen him become the most successful fast bowler in Test history with 700 wickets.
Only Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary Indian batsman, has played more Test matches than Anderson, with 200 appearances.
Throughout Anderson's 21-year Test career, Strauss has been a teammate, captain, and most recently, the England director of cricket.
In 2022, Strauss made the controversial decision to drop both Anderson and his long-time new-ball partner, Stuart Broad, who retired last year, from a tour of the West Indies.
However, he remains confident that the current England management has made the right call in bringing Anderson's international career to a close.
"That's a hard one," AFP quoted Strauss as saying to reporters at Lord's on Tuesday.
"Jimmy's still bowling well but there's a ticking clock there for the next Ashes. At some stage you've got to juggle the needs for the future with the needs for the present. So I can understand why they've chosen this as the right time to do that."
Strauss, the former England captain, will attend the Lord's Test match this week at the age of 47. The iconic venue, often referred to as the 'Home of Cricket', will observe 'Red for Ruth' on Thursday, an initiative aimed at raising funds and awareness for the cancer charity Strauss established in honour of his late wife, Ruth.
Since its inception six years ago, the Ruth Strauss Foundation has successfully raised approximately £5 million ($6.4 million). The funds have been utilized to provide essential services, including pre-bereavement counselling for families confronted with a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Additionally, the foundation offers training programs for healthcare professionals and facilitates the development of support networks to assist those affected by cancer.
"Most of what I've done in my career, achievement-wise, has been about me but this isn't," said former opening batsman Strauss.
"This is about a need that we can help fill and I feel very proud we are carrying out Ruth's wishes to a certain degree. But our work is only just beginning, really.
"We would struggle to do what we do without this 'Red for Ruth' Test match and we are incredibly grateful to the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board), to Lord's and to the cricket community for continuing to support us."
