James Anderson has revealed the details surrounding his Test retirement, explaining how the next Ashes series seemed like a destination too far for the legendary seamer to stick around.
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Anderson confirmed his retirement from Test cricket will come following England’s first Test of the summer at Lord’s in July this year. The confirmation came a day after there were reports that this would be the case.
The only seamer to have taken 700 Test wickets, Anderson will bow out of the game after a 21-year-long career which started with a five-for against Zimbabwe in 2003. The 41-year-old pacer revealed that while discussions around his future had been going on for several years, the final conversation with Brendon McCullum, the England men’s Test head coach, happened a few weeks back in April.
Speaking on the BBC Tailenders podcast today (May 11), Anderson said: “Baz (McCullum) came over from New Zealand, we had appraisals – you have appraisals every six months – my future is something that’s been chatted about.
“I feel like we’ve been talking about it for ten years because every coach that I’ve had, has gone, ‘how long are you going to play for?’” It was sort of, just looking ahead, could a 43-year-old me make the Ashes in 18 months time? We came to the decision that, probably not.
“From my point of view it feels like a stretch at this stage of my career. From their point of view, I think there are 15 Test matches before the Ashes, so it gives them time to get other guys Test matches and experience before that Ashes series. So we came to the decision that I would play one more Test match.
“It was in April (when McCullum came over) so it’s been a few weeks… So I’ve been keeping it fairly close to my chest, making sure that it comes out the right time. That was taken out of my hands yesterday… I feel good about it. I feel excited about what the future might hold.”
"Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years, it's always meant a lot, even if my face often doesn't show it"
James Anderson's final Test match will be against the West Indies at Lords from July 10-14. pic.twitter.com/XsW8P7qB9U
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) May 11, 2024
Anderson said that while he’s not decided yet on what the immediate future after retirement will hold for him, he has been in talks to continue with the England side in some capacity.
“Whether that’s potentially stick around with the team this summer in a different sort of capacity would be nice potentially,” said Anderson. “We’ve chatted about it, but the chats are ongoing. That’s something I’ll keep talking to Stokesy and Baz and Rob Key about, what happens after that Test match.”
Similarly, Anderson said he is not yet decided on his first-class future with Lancashire: “I’d not even told people at Lancs,” said Anderson. “There are games at the end of the season that I’m not ruling out at this moment. But again that’s a conversation I need to have with Lancashire and what they want to do.
“It is part of the thought process, I’m not 100 per cent set on what I’m going to do next. That will be a conversation further down the line with Lancashire and what they want to do, see if I’ve actually got the desire and willingness to do that as well. That will be later in the year.”
Reports about Anderson’s retirement and McCullum flying out from New Zealand to have the conversation with him were broken yesterday (May 10) by The Guardian.
“Obviously stuff came out yesterday that wasn’t meant to,” said Anderson. “So I spent the day ringing family and friends round, letting them know before they found out some other way.
“Obviously I wanted to tell people close to me before, it would have been nice to do it face to face, but it’s done now and people know. I feel sort of relieved that I don’t have to keep it a secret.
