England pacer James Anderson confident of making comeback in Sri Lanka Tests
Veteran England speedster James Anderson is optimistic about making a comeback to the squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka set to be played next month. Anderson who suffered a rib injury during the Test series in South Africa is in the process of regaining full fitness and is hoping to find a place in the England squad.
With Jofra Archer already being ruled out of the next three months owing to a stress fracture, there is hardly any doubt that Anderson will be on the selection radar. However, selection isn’t guaranteed, especially given the fact that Anderson has succumbed to several injuries in the recent past.
He played the first two Tests in South Africa where he picked up a 5 wicket haul in the opening Test in Cape Town. However, he feels that by the time England tours Sri Lanka he will be fit and match ready.
During an interview with the Sky Sports, Anderson said:
"It's all healed, I've been training for a few weeks now, getting my bowling back up to speed and I feel really good. It was frustrating when it happened, it was a bit of a freak incident, but thankfully now it's all healed and I feel much better.
"That's the aim, to try and get fit for whatever's next - at the moment that's Sri Lanka. It's hard to prove your fitness in the indoor school at Old Trafford. With a broken bone, you're waiting for that to heal. I've not lost any fitness, it's just about building my bowling back up now, still got a month before that tour, so we'll just have to wait and see what the selectors think,” he added.
Anderson as part of the Ashes squad as well last year but his participation was restricted to a solitary match. He was ruled out for the next 5 months owing to a calf injury. However, Anderson made his intentions clear that if fit he will like to play for England in all conditions.
"If I'm fit I want to be playing for England, wherever that might be. I showed in South Africa I can still do it abroad. I've been unlucky a little the last few months with injuries but my record before that has been pretty good injury-wise. I'm hopeful I can keep fit for as long as possible if I'm fit I want to be playing wherever England are.
"Because I don't play one-day cricket I think there's enough rest there naturally to be available for most series and most games. The last few months have been different because I have been injured. But that's not something that's been an issue for me before. Going forward, as I said, there's enough break naturally between series to get myself fit and prepare for the next series," Anderson said.