Former South African captain AB de Villiers has penned a heartful note for England legend James Anderson, who is set to retire from international cricket this summer.
Anderson, 42, revealed in an Instagram post that the upcoming Test match against West Indies at Lord’s will mark the end of his illustrious journey in Test cricket.
The decision brings the end of a career which spanned over two decades, marked by numerous milestones and records. He has 700 wickets in Test cricket and is the third successful bowler of the format.
De Villiers expressed his admiration for the retiring Englishman, remembering about their intense battles on the field.
“Congrats on an incredible career, Jimmy Always enjoyed our battles on the field. And the fierce competitive spirit you brought to the table throughout those 20 glorious years. Wishing you the best for that final Test at Lord’s, and the next chapter,” wrote De Villiers on X (formerly Twitter).
The 41-year-old had previously expressed his wish to prolong his playing career for as long as he could, keeping a keen eye on the Ashes scheduled for November 2025 in Australia. However, England coach Brendon McCullum intervened, taking matters into his own hands by personally meeting Anderson during a round of golf in April.
“Baz came over from New Zealand,” Anderson explained on the Tailenders podcast. “We obviously have appraisals every six months. My future is obviously something that’s been chatted about – I feel like I’ve been talking about it for 10 years, with every coach I’ve had, like ‘How long are you going to play for?’
“It was sort of about looking ahead – could a 43-year-old me make the Ashes in 18 months time? And we sort of came to the decision that probably not. From my point of view it feels like a stretch at this point of my career and from their point of view there are 15 Test matches before the Ashes, so it gives them time to give other guys Test matches and experience before that Ashes series.”
Unlike most teams, McCullum has not employed a full-time bowling coach since taking over with England, having been able to rely upon Anderson and Stuart Broad to guide the younger bowlers. Anderson revealed that after amicable discussions with McCullum, captain Ben Stokes, and director of cricket Rob Key, he could transition into a coaching role.
“I feel excited about what the future might hold,” he said. “Whether that’s to stick around with the team this summer in a different sort of capacity would be nice potentially. I feel good. We’ve chatted about it, but the chats are ongoing, so that’s something I’ll keep talking to Stokesy and Baz and Rob Key about what happens after that Test match.," he concluded.
- James Anderson
