DHARAMSHALA (Himachal Pradesh): England veteran pacer James Anderson etched his name in history books on Saturday, becoming the first-ever pacer in the history of the sport to complete 700 wickets in Test cricket and overall only the third bowler to do so.
The ageless English pace wonder, who will be turning 42 this July, achieved this milestone during India’s fifth and final Test against England in Dharamsala. In India’s first innings, Anderson managed to take 2/60 in 16 overs, at an economy rate of 3.75. He got the wickets of Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav.
Anderson, who made his Test debut for England back in 2002, now has 700 wickets in 187 Test matches. These have come at an average of 26.52 and a strike rate of 56.9, with 32 five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls to his name. His best bowling figures in an inning are 7/42.
He is England’s highest wicket-taking bowler in Tests. Overall, in international cricket, he is behind Sri Lanka’s spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets in 133 matches) and the late Australian spin great Shane Warne (708 wickets in 145 matches).
Anderson has had a fine outing in India this year. In four Tests he has played, Anderson has taken 10 wickets at an average of 33.5, with the best bowling figures of 3/47. (ANI)