NEW DELHI: Andrew Strauss, former England captain and batsman, has praised his former teammate and pace stalwart James Anderson as "one of the great bowlers of all time." However, Strauss also emphasised the importance of planning for the future of England's bowling attack beyond Anderson's retirement.
Anderson, England's leading pace bowler, is poised to retire from international cricket following an illustrious 22-year career.
The 41-year-old, renowned for his exceptional fitness and pace despite his age, took to Instagram last week to announce that the upcoming Test match against West Indies on July 10 will be his final appearance in international cricket.
Speaking about Anderson's retirement, Strauss was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
"I really hope he gets the send-off he deserves at Lord's. People have been talking about this moment for years - in a way, we got lured into thinking it was never going to come. It has been an extraordinary career with extraordinary resilience and will to keep going. Playing sports at the highest level is not an easy thing, and bowling is even harder. He is one of the great bowlers of all time," said Strauss.
Anderson played a crucial role in the England team's ascent to the number one position in the ICC Test Rankings during the early 2010s under the leadership of Strauss.
Notably, Anderson was the leading wicket-taker in the 2010-11 Ashes series, which marked England's most recent victory in Australia. Additionally, he showcased his prowess by taking 21 wickets in four Tests against India the following summer, further solidifying his status as one of England's premier fast bowlers of all time.
Recalling Anderson's fine run, Strauss said that he was "utterly dependable". He also lauded the bowler for rarely getting injured and expressed wonder how he himself made his debut after Anderson and retired before him too.
"He was one of those bowlers that you knew what you were going to get, every time. He had a great competitive fire and instinct, and extraordinary skill. Any captain would love to have him in their team. The other thing is that he kept fit: he never - or at least, very rarely - got injured. It's quite depressing to think that he made his England debut before I did. I have been retired for 12 years now," he added.
Strauss said that England has some certain number of fixtures, around 18 till the next Ashes series in Australia in 2025-26 and Anderson himself would admit that it would be a stretch if he plays the next Ashes series. He also said that it would be hard to replace Anderson and his partner-in-pace, Broad, who retired last year.
"It is the right time to get some games into some new players and obviously a huge hole to fill. If you think about [Stuart] Broad going last summer and now Anderson, it is very hard to replace them overnight," said Strauss.
"They were both utterly dependable and were senior bowlers, so you need to invest time and effort, and other people need to step up and take those leadership roles. So I think it is the right time. Often, you do not fully appreciate what you have lost until it is gone - but there has to be life after James Anderson," he concluded.
(With ANI inputs)
