London, April 30: Veteran England fast bowler James Anderson is relieved that the doors for him to return to the England Trial squad have not been completely closed.
With Ben Stokes appointed as the new test pattern on Thursday and Rob Key as managing director of men’s cricket, the chances of Anderson and his new ball partner Stuart Broad having a shot at the red cherry are still there.
Anderson and Broad, among the top 10 wicket-takers in Test cricket with 640 and 537 wickets respectively, were surprising omissions from England’s three-match away series to the West Indies in March, which they lost 1-0.
Following the series, Joe Root resigned as Test captain after England had won only one of their last 17 Tests. With Stokes and Key in the lead, doubts about the future of the duo’s test have calmed down.
“Stuart and I were hoping our careers weren’t over. So it’s good to hear there’s an opportunity. It still means we have to put in some performances here with our counties to show we’re playing well enough to get in.” that final 11. Because of the situation and not having people in these roles, you’re not sure what’s going to happen. So now having that clarity is really nice,” Anderson told BBC Radio Lancashire.
Stokes’ first assignment as England Test captain will be a three-game home series in June against New Zealand. He will be followed by the postponed fifth Test against India in Edgbaston, followed by another three-game home series against South Africa. In the current World Test Championship table, England are at the bottom.
Anderson, currently playing for Lancashire in the county championship, praised the 30-year-old Stokes as a “natural leader who has the respect of the group” and has “a clear idea of how he wants the team to play”. . “I would love to be a part of that (of playing Stokes). We’ve had a tough few years, we’re at the bottom of the Test Championship. English cricket needs to win Test matches again.”