Get Jimmy fit and we may have a chance...
Former England batsman Trott eyes Anderson return for India
JONATHAN Trott says England need James Anderson to return as soon as possible if they are to stand a chance during the upcoming Test series in India – but only if he is 100 per cent fit.
Anderson, the leader of England’s attack and his country’s leading Test bowler with 463 wickets, is back in the nets after spending three months out with a shoulder injury.
England are expected to announce today that the 34-yearold will join up with the squad before the second Test in Visakhapatnam later this month with a view to returning for the third match of the series in Mohali on November 26.
Trott was part of the England side that won in India for the first time in 27 years back in 2012, when Anderson took 12 wickets.
And he believes his former team-mate holds the key to his side’s hopes in the five-match series that starts in Rajkot on Wednesday.
“Jimmy’s huge, especially in the minds of the opposition,” said Trott. “He leads the side in the field, his presence and the way he goes after the opposition.
“You certainly need that out in India. But he’s got to be 100 per cent fit to play because the conditions are so testing.
“Whether he can be is tough because he’s not played much cricket, but it will be one where they’ll just have to see how he bowls in the nets.”
Trott believes getting their talisman back would also allow England to change the balance of their attack, dropping a spinner and playing four seamers in Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes.
“Certainly if you throw Jimmy into the mix you can go with the four seamers,” he said.“Then you can have two spinners depending on how they’re going and what kind of wicket it is. Joe Root can also fill in with a few overs as well so don’t forget about that.”
England’s spinners were exposed during the recent series draw in Bangladesh, with none of Moeen Ali, Gareth Batty, Adil Rashid or Zafar Ansari able to bowl with enough economy to offer captain Alastair Cook any control.
India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha kicked off the mind games between the two teams yesterday when he said: “It’s likely England’s performance against Bangladesh could play on the minds of their players.
“Our spinners are in good form and it will be a challenge for the England players to stay in the middle for long.”