"It's nice to hear there's a chance" - James Anderson pleased to still be part of England's plans
Veteran England seamer James Anderson feels relieved to be part of the national team's plans following a change of guard in the captaincy. Despite being England's most prolific wicket-taker in Tests, the 39-year old admits he and Stuart Broad have to prove they belong at the highest level.
England men's cricket's new managing director Robert Key unveiled Ben Stokes as the new Test captain on Thursday. The former England batter also revealed that the seam-bowling pair of Anderson and Broad will be available for selection after being omitted for the West Indies tour.
Yeah they will.
Rob Key when asked if Jimmy and Broady will feature this summer...
💬 Yeah they will. https://t.co/3bCeEu84Xr
Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, the right-arm seamer said that he and Broad are still keen to play international cricket. Ahead of the home summer starting in June, the 169-Test veteran believes their county cricket form could be vital in their selections.
"Stuart and I were hoping our careers weren't over. So it's nice to hear there's a chance. It still means we've got to put in some performances here with our counties to prove that we're playing well enough to get in that final XI. Because of the situation and not having people in these roles, you're just so unsure of what's going to happen. So now having that clarity is really nice."
The record-breaking bowling pair expressed frustration following their exclusion from the three-Test series in the West Indies. The veterans are currently playing county cricket for Lancashire (Anderson) and Nottinghamshire (Broad) to remain in the frame for selection.
"English cricket needs to get back to winning Test matches" - James Anderson
The Lancashire seamer added that he's looking forward to becoming a vital part of Stokes' side and is desperate to get England back to winning ways. He said:
"I'd love to be a part of that. We've had a tough few years, we're down the bottom of the Test Championship. English cricket needs to get back to winning test matches."
England's new MD Rob Key believes Ben Stokes is the perfect man for the job 💪 https://t.co/5deNQ4IcjL
The English team have endured a forgettable 2021 in Test cricket, winning only one of their last 14 Tests. With only a solitary victory out of 13 Tests in the 2021-23 WTC cycle, England remain below Bangladesh and the West Indies. Hence, Stokes must inspire their revival in red ball cricket.