"Everyone needs some sort of Everest to inspire them" - Stuart Broad reveals James Anderson's target
Retired England seamer Stuart Broad has said that James Anderson has an 'Everest' that will inspire him to play for a few more years. The 167-Test veteran backs Anderson to dominate the next summer but doesn't expect him to play all the Tests in India.
England will play five Tests in India, starting on January 25. Anderson, who exploited the reverse swing to good effect during the 2021 tour, is likely to embark on what could be his last visit to India.
Speaking to The Guardian, Broad reckons Anderson has a target of 700 scalps and suggests that the veteran could take the remaining 10 wickets over the summer.
"I don’t envisage he’ll play all the Test matches in India. He’s a very good bowler in India, and his reverse swings work really well. But he’ll be targeting next summer as the time to strike against Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
"Jimmy’s had brilliant success against both of them. and I expect England to win every single Test. He’s still got an Everest of 700 Test wickets (Anderson is on 690). Everyone needs some sort of Everest to inspire them.
Anderson notably was short of wickets in the 2023 Ashes series. In four games, the Lancashire bowler managed only five wickets, averaging a woeful 85.40.
"I think it’s very sustainable" - Stuart Broad
Broad is optimistic that the future generation of England players will continue to play aggressively in Tests. The 37-year-old highlighted that it's the only style the fans in the country love:
"I think it’s very sustainable. Even after Baz and Stokesy have moved on, young players like Zak, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook and Josh Tongue will continue that style, because it’s so free and enjoyable and entertaining. We were 2-0 down in the Ashes, and people in the street were saying: ‘Keep going in the series, loving it.’ When I’ve been 2-0 down before, people were like ‘Come on.’"
"But they didn’t mention the result. They were saying how entertaining it was, and ultimately that’s the ethos we want. As new players and coaches come through, they want to know what it feels like to play cricket with such pleasure."
The India tour will arguably be the biggest challenge for Ben Stokes and Co.