London: Former England skipper Nasser Hussain expects veteran pacer James Anderson to tour India for the gruelling five-Test series early next year, saying that with Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali retiring, the experience of the 41-year-old will come in handy in subcontinental conditions.
Anderson, the highest wicket-taking quick in Test cricket, would be more than keen to tour India for the series, scheduled to commence in January next year, after an ordinary bowling effort during the recently concluded Ashes.
“Jimmy’s (Anderson) got a very good record against India... and you need a balanced attack. You need that experience for younger players to come in,” Hussain said on The ICC Review. Six of Anderson’s 32 five-wicket hauls in Tests have come against India.
“Listen, Jimmy’s had a bad or an average couple of months, but you are a fool if you’re writing off Jimmy Anderson. I spoke to him in an interview and he was like, the hunger is still there. He’s already thinking about how to get back to his best,” added Hussain.
Hussain added that with the Ashes now history, Anderson was looking ahead to newer challenges and aiming to hit the nets soon.
“He’s already thinking about going back in the nets and working hard at his game and that’s a good sign for me that he’s still got that hunger. He’s, what, 10 wickets away from 700 (Test wickets), and that will keep him going for a while yet.”
England have been hit by a spate of retirements, notably by all-rounder Moeen and pacer Broad. “I think especially with Broad going, I would like that experience (of Anderson in India).”
“(All-rounder) Chris Woakes has stated that he’s not that keen anymore of playing away from home and his record’s not great away from home... if you don’t
have Woakes and you don’t have Broad, you will need that experience of someone like Jimmy Anderson,”
added Hussain.
The former captain added that the tour of India will pose the next biggest challenge to “Bazball”, a term which has come to be associated with England’s aggressive style of play under coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes.
“(Spinner) Jack Leach will (hopefully) be back and Rehan Ahmed is a very good second spinner, as we saw in Pakistan,” Hussain said. “(Pacer) Josh Tongue has bowled really well. (Pacer) Ollie Robinson is a very skilful bowler. Unfortunately, someone like Olly Stone is injured and, obviously, Jofra Archer is injured.
“You need that extra pace as well in India. So England have got...they’ve got that lad (Gus) Atkinson at Surrey, who has a lot of good things being said about him. So England have options. It’s (India) the next test for Bazball. They said Bazball will work against one side, then they moved on to the next side... to New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan. The next challenge is India and everyone knows India in India is one of the sternest challenges in Test match cricket.”
Hussain indicated he was keen to know how “Bazball” will work against the likes of India’s ace spinners. “It’s Bazball against spin. Bazball against Ravi Ashwin, (Ravindra) Jadeja and Axar Patel and that is going to be fascinating.”
