Stuart Broad expressed concern about the significant gap left by James Anderson’s retirement, highlighting the potential for a severely inexperienced bowling lineup for England in upcoming Test matches.

Stuart Broad recently voiced his worries about England’s bowling attack after his longtime teammate and friend, James Anderson, announced his impending retirement from international cricket this summer. Anderson, who continued playing after Broad’s retirement following the Ashes in 2023, recently showcased his skills during the Test series in India, where he claimed 10 wickets across four matches. The 41-year-old confirmed that his final appearance for England will be in the first Test against the West Indies at Lord’s from July 10 to 14.

READ ALSO | James Anderson Announces Retirement From Test Cricket After First Test Against West Indies in July

Broad praised Anderson’s contributions but expressed uncertainty about how England will address the significant gap he leaves behind, especially considering the potential lack of experience in the bowling lineup for upcoming matches. He highlighted the possibility of a very inexperienced group taking the field if key players like Chris Woakes and Mark Wood are unavailable, emphasizing the challenge for England’s Test captaincy.

“England could easily go into a Test match this summer with a very, very inexperienced bowling group. If you don’t play a (Chris) Woakes, Mark Wood has a rest and there’s no Jimmy Anderson, you could have three seamers and a spinner out there potentially with 20 caps between them. That’s quite scary as a Test captain I would have thought. We don’t know how much (Ben) Stokesy’s going to bowl – we hope he does,” Broad said on the latest Sky Sports Cricket podcast episode.

“There’s going to certainly be a huge hole left by Jimmy Anderson that someone is going to have to step into. And not just by swinging the new ball. But by communicating, by keeping calm if the boundaries are leaking, by tactically being aware of what field works at certain grounds, pitches and times of Test matches,” Broad added.

Looking forward, England’s cricket calendar is packed with T20 and Test matches this summer. They kick off with four T20 matches against Pakistan, starting at Headingley on May 22 and wrapping up at The Oval on May 30, in preparation for the T20 World Cup. Following this, they defend their title in Barbados against Scotland on June 4, then face Australia, Oman, and Namibia in June. The Test series begins in July with matches against the West Indies at Lord’s, Trent Bridge, and Edgbaston. In August and September, England will take on Sri Lanka in three more Test matches to conclude the summer.

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Last Updated on May 13, 2024

Senior Sports Copywriter