England’s team leader, Ben Stokes, has expressed strong support for experienced fast bowler Chris Woakes to take charge of England’s bowling lineup now that the iconic James Anderson has retired. Anderson, who holds the record for the most Test wickets by a fast bowler with 704, concluded his remarkable career after England’s impressive win against the West Indies in the first Test at Lord’s. Woakes is expected to step up as the key bowler for England. The team performed exceptionally well in the first Test, securing a victory by an innings and 114 runs. With Anderson’s retirement and Stuart Broad’s departure after the Ashes series last year, England will miss their combined total of 1,308 Test wickets as they gear up for the second Test at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
This match will be the first time since 2012 that England plays at home without Anderson or Broad. Even though they won’t be there, Stokes is hopeful that Woakes can step up. Woakes, an experienced all-rounder, will play his 50th Test this week and has a strong record of 22.04 wickets per Test in home matches. Stokes said on Wednesday, “I see Anderson’s retirement as a chance for someone like Chris Woakes to take charge in the bowling team. Woakes is a very experienced bowler and player. We’ve always relied on Anderson and Broad, but now we need Woakes to lead. He’s been a fantastic performer, especially in England, and it’s great for him to now lead the attack.”
Even though Anderson is no longer playing, he still stays with the team as part of the support staff. Stokes mentioned how Anderson’s presence has been helpful for the team, especially in giving useful advice and direction to the bowlers. “The past few days have been really good,” Stokes said. “You can tell that the players really want to learn from him. Before, it was a bit different. Jimmy was always getting ready for his games, so it was important to let him focus and learn from him as much as possible. But now, he’s just there, and you can see the players going to him to ask for his thoughts and how he handles certain deliveries.”
I believe the change has gone very smoothly. There’s no question that Jimmy has had feelings about it. But since he’s still with the team, I think he realizes he can still contribute a lot to the game with his bowling skills. I can’t imagine a better person to teach our current players about fast bowling.
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