Cook is bowled over by Anderson’s early comeback

IT IS not often that the impending arrival in Asia of a seam bowler causes a stir but the news that Jimmy Anderson will join up with England sooner than anyone dared hope has lifted spirits for Wednesday’s first Test in Rajkot.

Only a fortnight ago there were fears that Anderson, by a country mile England’s leading Test wicket-taker, might write off the series altogether and focus on getting fit to face South Africa next summer.

The psychological boost of welcoming Anderson on Tuesday is hard to overstate. His unexpectedly swift recovery from a shoulder injury means he could play in the second Test at Visakhapatnam, allowing captain Alastair Cook the luxury of tossing the new ball to both Anderson and Stuart Broad for the first time this winter.

‘He’s got the all-clear,’ said Cook. ‘He needs to acclimatise and get some overs in the nets, which is the best preparation we’ve got for him. It’s great that he’s put the effort in. Rather than take the easy option and come back in July, he wants to make a difference in this series.’

Asked about the prospect of Anderson appearing in a Test with no match practice, the England captain admitted: ‘It’s certainly not ideal. But if there’s one person who can do it, it’s Jimmy.’

Anderson’s 463 Test wickets place him sixth on the all-time list, yet he is not as highly regarded by Indian fans as he deserves. His seven Tests here have been spread across four tours stretching back to 2005-06, when he played a major role in England’s series-levelling win in Mumbai and he took six wickets in a decisive victory at Kolkata four years ago.

That series is the last one India lost at home and Cook will need all the help he can get if he is to repeat one of his best wins as captain.

‘The last game in Dhaka was the first I’ve captained without one of either Stuart or Jimmy,’ he said. ‘You take that leadership and experience for granted.’

First, though, England must emerge unscathed from Rajkot against an Indian side who have won 12 of their last 13 home Tests since 2012-13.

The pre-series talk is focusing on the runs of Virat Kohli and the wickets of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin but Cook prefers to draw strength both from that experience four years ago and from last winter when England shocked South Africa.

‘This is a huge challenge with guys who haven’t played that much cricket in the subcontinent,’ he added. ‘But what this side has always done over the last couple of years is exceed expectations in big series. Being an underdog takes a lot of pressure off us.’

The nature of the pitch at Rajkot will determine his selection and Cook admitted the balance of the attack could be skewed to accommodate four seamers at the expense of a spinner. Equally, if reports that the pitch is being left drier than usual prove true, England could revert to three seamers and three spinners. The batting conundrum is no simpler, with Gary Ballance facing the chop, paving the way for Jos Buttler or Haseeb Hameed. Coach Trevor Bayliss said: ‘Buttler’s as close as anyone else in the squad. We’ve probably got two or three options. Certainly he’s been in discussions along with Hameed as well.’ There are a few locals who already regard this series as done and dusted and England are happy for them to think that way. Because as well as Anderson’s reverse swing, India’s complacency may just prove their most potent weapon.