James Anderson becomes the oldest pacer to play a Test match in India

Veteran England pacer James Anderson achieved a unique feat to his name in the history of Test cricket in India. The 41-year-old became the oldest pacer to play a match in the longest format of the game in India. 

James Anderson achieved the feat after he stepped onto the field for the ongoing second Test against India. The second game of the five-match series between the teams is taking place at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam 

The longevity of James Anderson in Test cricket is nothing short of exceptional. In the era where players are quitting the longer formats of focus on T20 leagues, the England pacer is making sure that he gives all his blood and sweat for his team in the whites. 

In what has been his 184th Test match, James Anderson is making sure that sets the stage on fire and oozes his class. The fast bowler has bowled impeccable lines and lengths in the match so far and troubled Indian batters a lot in the morning session of the match. 

On a track that hasn’t favored seamers, James Anderson swung the ball beautifully well in the early phase of the game. The fast bowler made Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer think and created pressure, which allowed spinners to chip in. 

James Anderson was rewarded for brilliant bowling with the scalp of Shubman Gill. The batter was looking in good touch but the fast bowler found the outside edge of his bat quite a few times before sending him packing on the stroke of the lunch. 

James Anderson bowled a fuller ball on outside off, around the sixth stump. Shubman Gill got forward to defend and went with hard hands away from the body. The ball took the outside edge and was safely pouched by the keeper Ben Foakes. 

This was the 5the time James Anderson dismissed Shubman Gill in the 7 innings. The batter averages just around 8 against the pacer and has managed just 39 runs in 72 balls. 

James Anderson becomes the oldest pacer to play a Test match in India 

James Anderson surpassed Lala Amarnath to become the oldest pacer to play a Test match in India. England pacer with the age of 41 years 187 days, went past the former Indian player, who played a Test match in India at the age of 41 years 92 days. He featured in a game against Pakistan in 1952. 

Australia’s Ray Lindwall also features in the list when he played a game against India at 38 years 112 days in 1960. Shute Banerjee played against the West Indies in 1949 at the age of 37 years 124 days. The last one on the list is Ghulam Guard, who played a game between India and the West Indies in 1960 at the age of 34 years and 20 days. 

Here’s the list of the oldest pacer to play a Test match in India: