From making his Test debut against Zimbabwe at Lord’s, life is about to come full circle for England’s milestone man when he ends his career at Lord’s against West Indies. (More Cricket News)
The Lancashire lad is about to draw curtains on his illustrious career after 21 long years. The first Test against West Indies will be his last ever outing for England.
Over the course of the last two decades, Anderson has been a part of some extraordinary moments that has defined the sport. With six deliveries in an over, here are six top Anderson moments against India
1. Longevity is easy, ask Anderson
The moment James Anderson had rolled over Mohammed Shami with a nip-backer, rattling the stumps, it was over, and it was history. It was over for India with a 4-1 defeat, and it was history for Anderson as he had become the most prolific fast bowler in the history of the sport picking up his 564th Test wicket.
Well, fast forward to a few years, he has 700. A wicket taking machine that has mastered the craft beyond belief.
2. Battle of the GOATs at the Gardens
Bowling on Indian surfaces is a tough gig. Bowling on Indian surfaces to one of the greatest ever to grace the sport? Probably a lot of hard work. However, there is no better sight for a fast bowler when they plan and execute a ploy to perfection.
James Anderson dismissed Sachin Tendulkar on a super spin-friendly surface at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, finding the outside edge of the bat. The setup was so good, that the ball kept coming in and had the nick that slightly swung away. It was a major contribution as England won the series 2-1 - and to date, still remains the last time a visiting team won a Test series in India.
3. Century at Lord’s
It was not something he had not done before. It was straightforward and simple, yet it was historic. The ball that Anderson landed to Murali Vijay was a short of a length cherry that was slanting towards middle, taking the inside edge that met Jonny Bairstow’s gloves. It was not sensational as he would have delivered such a ball a million times but it had given him his 100th Test wicket at the Home of Cricket.
4. The art and the artist
A new ball or old, there are always challenges for a fast bowler. However, life becomes a little easier when a certain reverse swing art is mastered, especially on surfaces in India.
Anderson was doing what only Anderson could do - this time in Chennai on a gloomy morning, storming through the defences pushing England for victory. First, he went past Gill on a delivery that pitched in-line and jagged back in from an angle which had the off-stump dancing.
Next up, it was Ajinkya Rahane who was in the firing line with Anderson using the crease and getting the ball to angle back, opening up the batter to leave a massive gap between bat and pad for the ball to use. He bowled 17 overs for just 11 runs, picking up three wickets, helping England to win by 227 runs.
5. When greats collide
When India arrived on English shores, Virat Kohli was among the greatest to pick up a willow, scoring runs for fun. However, there was a lesson to be learnt when James Anderson with bowling-friendly surfaces, cloudy skies and deliveries on outside off stump showcased a masterclass on how to beat the best. The Lancashire pacer picked him four times in the five-match series as Kolhi took the flight back with an average of just 13, while Anderson bagged 25 wickets.
6. The ball that dropped jaws
James Anderson weaved his magic under the skies in London in the second innings of the Oval Test in 2011. After a mammoth 591 by England, thanks to Ian Bell’s remarkable 235, India were under a spot of bother after being bowled out for just 300.
Following on, things got much worse as Anderson started to do Anderson things, bowling maiden after maiden collecting seven. However, the delivery that turned heads was that of Laxman’s when the ball came out of the hand in different fashion, much slower in acceleration, and taking a different path after kissing the surface - hitting the off stump.
