Jimmy Anderson, the 38-year old magical fast-bowler is perhaps the best swing bowler in world cricket. His cricket career has stretched for more than 18 years in which he has picked up 611 Test wickets so far. In an era when fast-bowlers’ careers were cut short due to injuries, Anderson has stayed afloat and has been swinging the ball for his country regardless his age. In the last innings against India, Anderson picked up three wickets and sealed the deal for India.
At 92/2 in the morning session, India looked confident and there were hopes, if not about winning the match, then at least about drawing the match. It was the 27th over of the match when Jimmy Anderson was given the ball for the first time in the innings. While bowling his first over, he simply changed the course in that one over. On the second ball, he picked up the half-centurion Shubhman Gill and on the fifth ball, he picked up the experienced Rahane. India’s score suddenly became 92/4. Anderson did not stop at that, he bowled a five over spell and in that spell, he picked up the in-form Rishabh Pant as well. So the 38-year old picked up the crème of the Indian middle order in just on spell and changed the entire story of the match with just that bit of bowling.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That <a >@jimmy9</a> over 😍<br><br>Day five highlights 👇<a >https://t.co/ODBhtbQSij</a> 📽 <a >pic.twitter.com/gtB71iHwJf</a></p>— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a >February 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">James Anderson's first over of the day 🤯<br><br>0<br>W<br>0<br>Review overturned<br>W<br>0<a >#INDvENG</a> ➡️ <a >https://t.co/gnj5x4GOos</a> <a >pic.twitter.com/fb2L9m5OrF</a></p>— ICC (@ICC) <a >February 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
As a fast bowler, it is difficult to sustain at the highest level for a long time, but James Anderson is doing it for more than 18 years at the highest level. In a pre-match interview, Anderson said that he will look to reverse the ball and look to exploit the patches which were present on the pitch, and well, he did so. Joe Root was all praises for the fast bowler. He said he remembered Flintoff from the 2005 series. He wrote: “He seems to get better all the time. The skill level keeps improving...his work rate is good as anyone I have ever seen. And his fitness level are the best he's ever been in his whole career. It is a credit to English cricket. That's a great example to all England players. When you are under pressure and need something to happen when you got him in your armory it is a very comfortable position to be in.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🌏 <a >@root66</a>'s team are globetrotting.<a >@englandcricket</a>'s win over India was their SIXTH straight Test win away from home - their best run overseas in 117 years.<a >#INDvENG</a> <a >pic.twitter.com/QFHqvkgY5I</a></p>— ICC (@ICC) <a >February 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
India will play England in the second Test match yet again In Chennai, but this time the stands will be 50% occupied.