Jimmy Anderson announced his retirement is set to happen in July 2024. Tributes continue to pour in celebrating one of the game’s greatest pace bowlers ever. Fellow Team England cricketer Moeen Ali was among the first to celebrate Anderson, citing his love for the international team:
“Being the best bowler England have ever had and being a legend of a player and a great guy as well, it’s great to see him have the opportunity to play, it could be his last one, and hopefully he bowls well and gets us the win.” Ali said. Anderson is set to represent England one last time in a Test before his retirement.
“There’s no doubt England are a better team with James Anderson in there,” Ali said. “In the two games he played I actually thought he bowled really well in both of them” the England batter added when asked about Anderson’s performance in the Ashes.
When Will Anderson Retire?
Anderson is on schedule to retire after England’s Test series with the West Indies. The ongoing series will conclude in July 2024, signalling the end to an illustrious bowling career spanning over 20 years.
“I’ve Got to Deal with and Accept”
Anderson commented about his expectation to play more cricket, but he also understand that everything must have an end:
“I still feel as fit as I ever have, like I’m bowling as well as I ever have. I still think I could do a job,” he said on July 8, 2024. “But at the same time I understand that it has to end at some point. The fact that it now is just something I’ve got to deal with and accept.”
“I wouldn’t say it was a surprise, because when the three big dogs [ECB officials] invited me to a hotel in Manchester for a chat I didn’t think it was just a normal appraisal,” he said.
“I had a suspicion that that [retirement] was going to be the case. I think they [the officials] were surprised at how calm I was and I was probably surprised at my reaction. I wasn’t overly emotional or angry about it.
“I saw their point of view and appreciated them taking the time to lay it out for me. Since then I’ve come to terms with it and made peace with that decision. I’m just looking forward to one more game and then see what’s ahead.”
List of Jimmy Anderson International Career Appearances (Tours and Championships)
| Year | Event(s) |
| 2002 – 03 | World Cup, Zimbabwe and South Africa |
| 2004 – 05 | West Indies, Zimbabwe and Pakistan |
| 2006 | India and Australia |
| 2007 | World Cup |
| 2007 | West Indies, India and Sri Lanka |
| 2008 | New Zealand, South Africa and India |
| 2009 | West Indies |
| 2009 – 10 | South Africa |
| 2010 | Bangladesh and Pakistan |
| 2010 – 11 | Australia |
| 2011 | World Cup, Sri Lanka and India |
| 2011 – 12 | Pakistan and Sri Lanka |
| 2012 | West Indies and South Africa |
| 2012 – 13 | India, New Zealand and Champions Trophy |
| 2013 – 14 | Australia |
| 2014 | Sri Lanka and India |
| 2015 | Tri-Series |
| 2015 | World Cup |
| 2015 | West Indies and New Zealand |
| 2015 | Australia |
| 2015 | Pakistan |
| 2015 – 16 | South Africa |
| 2016 | Sri Lanka and Pakistan |
| 2016 | India |
| 2017 – 18 | Australia |
| 2018 | New Zealand |
| 2018 | Pakistan and India |
| 2018 – 19 | Sri Lanka and West Indies |
| 2020 | West Indies and Pakistan |
| 2021 | Australia |
| 2022 | New Zealand, South Africa and India |
| 2023 | Australia |
| 2024 | India |
Interesting Jimmy Anderson Facts
ODI Wickets
Anderson left white-ball cricket after a decent career in 2015. He managed to lead England’s wicket column during his career, and no other player has surpassed his heroics in nearly 10 years. Jimmy recorded 269 ODI scalps as a bowler, managing to leapfrog other English greats in the all-time bowling rankings.
Most Wickets at Lord’s
Jimmy managed to secure 141 international Test wickets during his career, outclassing other compatriots in just over 2 decades. The cricketer has more wickets than another great bowler Stuart Broad, who retired with 130 wickets on record.
First ODI hat-trick
It has been over two decades since Anderson recorded his first ODI hat-trick at The Oval. Few cricketers have managed to repeat Anderson’s feat since he did it in 2003 against Pakistan.
700 Test Wickets
Anderson joins an elite club of bowlers who have had over 700 wickets in their Test careers. He achieved this feat in 2024 versus Team India. The game was England’s fifth Test encounter vs their opponents and he managed to deliver an impressive showing against a top Indian side. 700 wickets for Anderson means he is the first pace bowler and third bowler overall to secure so many scalps.
