England fast bowler James Anderson on Wednesday became the first seamer to claim 600 Test wickets. Overall, he became the fourth bowler to join the prestigious 600 club – only after Sri Lanka Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Australia’s Shane Warne (708), and India’s Anil Kumble (619). In a recent interaction, Australia fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath said that Anderson has set the bar for fast bowling like Sachin Tendulkar had done for batting.
“He’s set the bar a bit like Sachin has,” McGrath, who previously held the record for most wickets by a pace bowler with 563, told the BBC.
“No one is ever going to catch Sachin in test cricket for the amount of runs he’s scored (15,921) and the matches he’s played (200). Jimmy’s done the same for fast bowling. I didn’t have the skill level Jimmy has. When he’s swinging that ball, both ways, in control, there’s no one better,” he added.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan also praised Anderson and described him as “true greatness”. “I’d be lying if I said we thought we had a bowler that would get this many wickets. We thought we had a bowler of great promise and skill. I never in my wildest dreams thought 17 years later we’d be talking about him getting to 600,” Vaughan was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
Current India skipper Virat Kohli and former Pakistan pace bowling legend Shoaib Akhtar also took to social media among others to praise Anderson’s efforts.
“Congratulations @jimmy9 for this outstanding achievement of 600 wickets. Definitely one of the best bowlers I’ve faced,” Kohli wrote on Twitter.
Anderson’s England teammate Stuart Broad, after the 3rd Test, said that he has always been inspired by the veteran pacer. “He’s a role model to follow for every English cricketer… He’s always searching to be better and better and 600 won’t be the stopping of him,” Broad said at the post-match virtual press conference.
England won the three-match Test series against Pakistan 1-0.
