WE WON’T STRETCH JIMMY TO THE LIMIT
Cook wants Anderson fit and firing for the Ashes
JAMES ANDERSON’S workload will be carefully managed over the next year as England try to nurse him through to next winter’s Ashes.
The 34-year-old has been assured he will no longer be flogged in every game. Instead, he will miss certain matches, like today’s final dead rubber in Chennai, to look after his body.
Even though Anderson has missed eight of the last 23 Test matches owing to a series of injuries, the aim is to have him fit and firing for the trip Down Under next winter.
He has battled back from side, calf and shoulder injuries over the last 18 months, but soreness in his shoulder after three matches in India has led to Alastair Cook subbing out the man he still wants spearheading the attack for a while yet.
“We are certainly going to have to manage him more than we have managed him before in Test matches,” said Cook (below). “He might miss a couple more Tests as a precaution just from what’s happened over the last six months with a niggle here and there, and his shoulder – which has put him out for a while.
“When he’s been in this situation and we have played him he has picked up injuries, so this isn’t the right time to play him now. I am very confident he can play a part in Australia. It’s not just about getting through, he can make a big contribution to English cricket over the next couple of years.”
On the plus side for Anderson is a six-month break before England’s next Test match against South Africa, which should give him a good chance to get his body as fit as possible.
He has a smooth action and, unlike a big-framed bowler like Freddie Flintoff, he doesn’t have too much wear or tear on his body.
For good reason Cook remains incredibly loyal to the bowler who has delivered time and again for him and counts him as one of his most trusted advisors out on the field.
“He definitely still has the fire in his belly,” added Cook. “I just know from talking to him and looking into his eyes. He’s disappointed he’s not playing this game, but I think it’s the right call.
“He is a good friend and he has got an excellent cricket brain. He’s a very different person to what people see in public to what he is in private.
“He thinks a lot about the game, he is a good sounding board. Certainly you cannot buy the experience he’s got. It’s valuable and we have to use that cleverly.”