‘Praying this isn't the end’ – James Anderson determined to make a comeback after West Indies series snub

Veteran England pacer James Anderson has finally broken his silence after being left out of England’s squad for the upcoming Test series against West Indies. With 640 wickets under his belt, the 39-year-old is the third-most successful bowler in Test cricket and his contribution towards England cricket is massive. However, a 0-4 defeat in Ashes last month prompted the ECB selectors to make some major decisions.

Hence, they dropped two of England’s most successful bowlers, Anderson and Stuart Broad. With Anderson turning 40 in July this year, it will be interesting to see whether he can comeback in the team or not. Speaking of the same, the talismanic cricketer is optimistic and wishes to continue serving the national team. While Anderson is disappointed with his axing, he’s determined to make a comeback.

I’ve still got the hunger and passion to play: James Anderson

“I’m praying this isn’t the end. I’ve got one more go at digging deep. I’ve got a lot left to offer – I’ve still got the hunger and passion to play. It was a shock and a disappointment to get that call but having processed it, it’s important I try to focus on the stuff I can control and that’s showing people what I can do with the ball in my hand,” Anderson said on BBC’s Tailenders Podcast.

Meanwhile, former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has come out in support of Anderson and Broad. “I can see why English cricket and selectors were a little bit frustrated they weren’t able to have the same impact from a bowling perspective as the Australians did during the recent Ashes series,” Watson said on the ICC Review show.

“But are the next breed of English bowlers coming through better than Broad and Anderson right now? In my eyes, no. So, I would have been picking them for the West Indies,” he added. Meanwhile, West Indies are set to host the Three Lions in three Tests, starting from March 8. Besides Anderson and dropped, the likes of Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan and Rory Burns have also missed out on selection.