England can’t be picking Anderson on sentiment forever: Legendary England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott

New Delhi: Legendary England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott said England need to move on from James Anderson, as they can’t be picking him on sentiment forever and has urged the side to find young and reliable fast bowlers for the Ashes trip to Australia in 2025-26.

Anderson, 41, reached the landmark of 700 Test wickets by dismissing Kuldeep Yadav on day three of the fifth and final Test against India at Dharamshala, becoming the first fast-bowler to do so.

He is now third on the all-time list of wicket-takers in Tests behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne. But by the time England leave for the Ashes in Australia, Anderson will be 43, which means he may not be a certain starter, considering he hasn’t called it quits from the game yet.

Other fast-bowlers like Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson failed to make a serious impression on the Test tour of India. “Jimmy Anderson deserves all the adulation and plaudits for staying fit to play 187 Test matches and reach 700 wickets but, because of his age, he is used too sparingly.

“England cannot keep wrapping him in cotton wool and picking him on sentiment forever. In a year-and-a-half, England’s next big challenge will be going to Australia to try and win back the Ashes. Fast bowling is physically very demanding and eventually takes its toll on every bowler’s body.

“Jimmy will be 43 by the next Ashes and I don’t see him being able to do the hard yards on tough, bone hard pitches and in hot weather. England have to find some young seamers who can bowl 20 overs and come back the next day ready for more. They need to be given matches before the team is selected for Australia,” wrote Boycott in his column for The Telegraph. (IANS)

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