Anderson told to end Test career

McCullum informs legend England are to look to youth Fast bowler set to be allowed poignant summer swansong

James Anderson’s legendary, record- breaking 22-year international career will end this summer after he held face-to-face talks with England head coach Brendon McCullum.

Anderson, who turns 42 in July, made his international debut in 2002 and his Test bow the following summer.

In his most recent Test, an England-record 187th, he became the first fast bowler and just the third player to reach 700 Test wickets. That was in Dharamsala at the end of the 4-1 defeat by India in March.

Only Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Australia’s Shane Warne (708) stand ahead of him in the all-time Test wicket-taking list and only India’s Sachin Tendulkar (200) has played more Tests.

Whether Anderson adds to those remarkable tallies remains unclear, but he appears likely to be handed at least one more Test this summer.

According to the Guardian,

McCullum recently made a swift visit to the UK from his native New Zealand, where he told Anderson during a round of golf that England would be looking to the future with their pace attack, and that this summer would be his Test swansong.

Anderson is yet to officially confirm or deny the story, but is due to appear on the BBC’s coverage of England women’s T20 against Pakistan today.

Anderson was always likely to receive a tap on the shoulder from McCullum, Test captain Ben Stokes or managing director Rob Key. He has been an extraordinarily resilient cricketer, remaining fit and improving with age. Before this management took over, he and his long-standing partner, Stuart Broad, were dropped for a tour of West Indies in 2022 as England looked to the future. But he bounced back to pick up another 60 wickets in 18 Tests at an average of 25.9.

Before the India tour, he remodelled his run-up to add pace and put a difficult 2023 Ashes series – when he managed just five scalps in four Tests – behind him to take 10 wickets bowling with great control. After the tour he was still optimistic about the future, saying he was in the “best shape” of his career.

McCullum was non-committal at

the end of that tour, too. “I don’t know, honestly,” he said, when asked about Anderson. “Who knows where the end line for him is but for now, just enjoy having Jimmy around and make sure we utilise that experience he’s got. He’s a great resource for the other guys within the unit.”

This England regime have tended not to look far ahead, preferring to take each match as it comes. But they are looking to the future this summer, as they try to

“refine” their gallivanting Bazball style of play at what is likely to be the halfway stage of the StokesMcCullum premiership.

Anderson was always unlikely to make it to Australia for a sixth Ashes tour at the end of 2025, and England are desperate to build a battery of fast bowlers for that trip.

While Anderson was handed just a one- year contract on reduced terms last winter, the likes of Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue were given multi-year deals. England will hope

Ollie Robinson has come through a slump in focus and can lead the attack in a post-Anderson world, but they also have the extreme skill of Chris Woakes at home, as well as the pacy but fragile duo of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer.

Anderson is yet to play this season, but had planned to turn out for Lancashire to gear up for the start of the Test summer on July 10. He has previously stated that he would like to continue playing for Lancashire or even his club, Burnley, when his Test career ends.

Peak performer: James Anderson reflects at stumps following his 700th, and most recent, Test wicket in India in March