Legendary English fast bowler James Anderson held an unwanted record to his name in international cricket on Friday. Anderson surpassed Anil Kumble to now hold the record for conceding the most runs by a bowler in Test cricket.
Earlier, Anil Kumble held the record as he gave away 18,355 runs in 132 Tests. Anderson, however, overtook him in the third Test match against India. He now has conceded 18,371 runs in 185 Tests played so far.
James Anderson Test Bowling Record
James Anderson is currently the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket only behind the legends, namely Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.
Anderson is just four wickets away from achieving 700 wickets in the longest format. In 185 Test matches, James Anderson has 696 wickets at an average of 26.39.
Recently, in an interview, he shed light on when he would be calling it a day in the longest format of the game.
“I would like to be able to go out on a nice note. I don’t want to drag it out, and people are thinking: ‘Can you just do one.’ Morgs [Morgan] last year woke up and just knew it was time to call it a day. I am just hoping that is the case,” Anderson told The Telegraph.
“I feel privileged to have got in a position where I can make a decision because, as a bowler, it is usually taken out of your hands with injury or selection. It will be nice to go out on my own terms, but when that will be, you just have to wait and see,” he added.
Muralitharan is the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history with 800 wickets to his name, followed by Shane Warner at number two. The legendary Australian spinner ended his Test cricket career with 708 wickets.
After being missed out in the first Test, Anderson got the chance to be part of the playing XI in the second Test match. He picked five wickets in the Test but England, unfortunately, lost the game. The veteran seamer is also playing the third Test match but hasn’t made great returns thus far.
During the first innings, Anderson could only manage to pick a solitary wicket of Kuldeep Yadav. It remains to be seen if he could produce goods when India comes out to bat again.
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