Let’s not bowl stars until they break says Anderson
JIMMY ANDERSON insists that he is not being “shielded”. England’s all-time great sat out the 317-run defeat in the second Test against India – despite his virtuoso display in the series opener and the seven-day break ahead of the day-night duel in Ahmedabad which starts on Wednesday. Anderson admits the selectors’ rotation policy means his double act with fellow old stager Stuart Broad may have appeared for the last time in the Test arena.
But he disagrees with the question put by former team-mate Graeme Swann when he said Anderson is “coming to the back end of his career and is bowling better than ever – so what are we shielding him for?” Anderson, whose 611 Test wickets should be supplemented under the Gujarat floodlights this week, said: “I don’t think I’m being shielded – it’s a case of trying to stay fit for as long as possible.
“I’ve seen in the past couple of years, when the workload goes up those injuries do happen.
“And it’s the same for all bowlers, not just me.
“It’s a case of not trying to bowl everyone into the dirt until they
break.We’ve got 17Test matches this year, and the best way of getting your best players firing for as many of those as possible is to take little rests every now and then.
“It’s not a case of shielding, more a case of making sure you’re not wearing someone out until they break in half.
“I had pretty mixed emotions to miss out on the last game after playing well in the first Test, but I guess you’ve got to try and look at the bigger picture.
“The idea was that if I missed that one, it would give me the best chance of being fit and firing for the pink-ball Test.”
With Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Olly Stone and ChrisWoakes all in the frame, the odds are increasing on Anderson, 38, and Broad, 34, taking an encore together.
Anderson conceded they may have played their last match as a partnership, adding: “Yeah, that has definitely crossed my mind.
“Ideally we’d get into a position where there will be a crucial game when they want the experience of both of us.”
For now, England need to win the series 3-1 to qualify for the World Test Championship final in the summer.
Anderson may have to make the pink ball hoop around corners to make that happen.