England cricket team pace bowler James Anderson has admitted that the team’s rotation policy can be “frustrating” but he understands the benefits as he looks to prolong his career. The 38-year-old Anderson took five wickets as England won the opening Test against India in Chennai at the start of the month but was rested for the second match – a 317-run defeat on the same ground. England’s record wicket-taker is expected to return for the Day/Night Test which begins in Ahmedabad’s newly-built 110,000 capacity Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera on Wednesday, where conditions could see seam bowling come back to the fore.
“You have got to try and look at the bigger picture. The idea was if I missed that one, that would give me the best chance of being fit and firing for the pink-ball Test,” Anderson said.
“So that’s where I am at, I am feeling good and fresh and ready to go again if called upon. It’s frustrating to an extent but I can see the bigger picture with the amount of cricket that we have got.
“It’s the same for all bowlers, not just me. We’ve got 17 Test matches this year and the best way of getting your best players firing for as many of those as possible is to take little rests every now and then.
“It’s not a case of shielding, it’s just a case of trying to make sure you’re not wearing someone out until they completely break in half.”
Anderson also admitted that it seems likely that he will play more Tests in tandem with Stuart Broad. The duo, who share more than 1100 wickets between them, have only played together in nine Tests in the last two years.
“That has definitely crossed my mind. Ideally we would get into a position where there will be times – a crucial game potentially – when they want the experience there of both of us and that might get called upon.
“All we can do is when we get the nod do the best for the team, try and stay in as good shape as possible, stay as fit as possible and eventually whether it’s in the summer or the back end of the year hopefully we will get the chance to play again together.”
