James Anderson was shocked to learn when England Test captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum told him that they were ready to look beyond him in the red ball game, a format in which he has taken 704 wickets in 188 matches.
“I don’t think I was angry. I was just shocked. But to be honest, I would have carried on for as long as my body let me. Maybe I needed that nudge to say now’s a good time to finish,” the 42-year-old said in an interview with The Guardian.
However, Anderson’s wife, Daniella Lloyd, didn’t take it well. “She’s been my biggest supporter from when we first met. I had injuries and she was the one who motivated me to get going again. She just felt it wasn’t the right way to have done things. She felt I should go on my own terms. But I think it’s easing now.”
The England great announced his retirement in May and a month later, Anderson went on to pick seven for 35 in a county championship game for Lancashire against Nottinghamshire. “I wasn’t out to prove a point. I was thinking that this could potentially be my last-ever game for Lancashire, so I wanted to make sure I bowled well,” Anderson said.
Following that performance, Stokes wryly texted Anderson saying, “Did you really have to do that?” For which, Anderson replied: “Sorry, mate.”
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Anderson played his final Test at Lord’s on July 12 against the West Indies, ending a 22-year-long career.
When asked what he would have done if cricket wasn’t there, Anderson had no answers: not now; not in the past.
“I’ve no idea. I did sixth form and thought of going to uni (university) if I didn’t get a contract. I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do if cricket didn’t happen. It’s frightening because I’m sure there’re many people in that same position and they don’t have that something I loved with a passion. I feel so fortunate I had cricket.”
Soon after he retired, Anderson joined the dressing room in a coaching capacity and he’s happy to still make an impact if not with directly with the ball in hand.
“If it had been completely cut out of my life I don’t think I’d have coped very well. The fact that they wanted me to stay in the group helped me. I’m still having the dressing-room environment, still seeing my mates every day, still having an impact on Test matches, but obviously in a very different way.”
