Anderson has played more Tests than any other England cricketer and is second on the all-time list of Test appearances behind only India legend Sachin Tendulkar.
Having struggled in last year’s Ashes against Australia, he played in four of England’s Tests in India last winter and took his 700th wicket in the fifth Test in Dharamsala.
Anderson’s former captain Michael Vaughan said the veteran is “England’s greatest” but the time is right for him to move on, with the next Ashes series to be played in Australia in the 2025-26 winter.
“Rob Key [England director of men’s cricket] has recently spoken about pace and I think for England to go down under in 18 months and try to win those Ashes back – India is the hardest place to win and then Australia is second to that – then England will need some pace, so I think it is the right time to move Jimmy Anderson aside,” Vaughan said.
Anderson is also England’s record wicket-taker in one-day internationals but has not played white-ball cricket for his country since 2015, instead focusing on the longest format where he has become a great of the game.
He overtook Sir Ian Botham as England’s leading Test-wicket taker in 2015, took Australia great Glenn McGrath’s record among pace bowlers in 2018 and now sits just eight behind second-placed Warne in the all-time list of wicket-takers.
He also formed a record-breaking bowling partnership for England with Stuart Broad, who retired last year.
“To think he’s been bowling for England for more than 20 years is utterly remarkable,” Vaughan said.
“To get over 700 Test wickets as a seam bowler, to get 500-600 as a spin bowler is incredible, but for Jimmy to do it day in day out and to put his body and mind through everything he’s done over the past 20 years is utterly remarkable.
“He’s England’s greatest.”
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