James Anderson, the legendary English fast bowler, ended his illustrious career with 705 Test wickets after bowling 40,031 legal deliveries, the most by a fast bowler in the history of cricket. Although Anderson missed a fairy tale farewell similar to his former bowling partner Stuart Broad, his final Test match was a testament to his enduring class and remarkable career.

James Anderson’s legendary career

James Anderson’s career is filled with numerous highlights and milestones that have cemented his place as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. Making his debut in 2003, Anderson played 188 Tests over 19 years, consistently delivering match-winning performances. He holds the record for the most wickets, most deliveries, and most matches by a fast bowler, showcasing his longevity and endurance in a demanding role.

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The final test match

In his final Test match against the West Indies, England hammered the visitors by an innings and 114 runs, bowling them out for 136 in the second innings. The match lasted only two days and a session, with Anderson taking four wickets, including a three-wicket haul. Despite a stellar debut performance by Gus Atkinson, who picked up 12 wickets, it was Anderson who led the team off the ground to a standing ovation from the Lord’s crowd.

Missed fairy-tale farewell

Anderson’s retirement came shortly after Stuart Broad announced his departure from all forms of cricket. Broad fittingly took a wicket with the final ball he bowled to win the Test for England. Anderson, however, missed out on this iconic moment. In his last over, Anderson bowled to Motie, who was beaten on the flick with a short-of-length delivery. An appeal for LBW was half-hearted and dismissed due to the height and angle down leg.

Anderson’s Last Over

In the 44th over of the West Indies’ second innings, Anderson had the chance to end his career on a high note with a wicket. However, he dropped a straightforward return catch, a rare lapse in an otherwise impeccable career. The crowd remained supportive, appreciating Anderson’s contributions over the years.

England’s dominant victory

England’s comprehensive victory was marked by Gus Atkinson’s remarkable debut. The 26-year-old pacer picked up seven wickets in the first innings and five in the second, overshadowing Anderson’s farewell performance. Nonetheless, Anderson’s presence and leadership on the field were evident as he guided the young bowler.

Anderson’s emotional send-off

The Lord’s crowd gave Anderson a fitting send-off, rising to their feet to applaud his efforts. Anderson received a guard of honour from his teammates at the start of the day’s play, an emotional moment that he handled with grace. His composure and humility were on full display as he bowed out of international cricket.

Career statistics

James Anderson’s career statistics are a testament to his greatness. With 705 wickets in 188 Tests, he stands as the highest wicket-taking fast bowler in history. His tally of 40,031 deliveries is a record for fast bowlers, reflecting his consistency and endurance.

James Anderson in Test cricket
Mats: 188
Wkts: 704
Avg: 26.45
SR: 56.8
ER: 2.79
BBI: 7/42
BBM: 11/71
5-fer: 32
10-fer: 3

Gus Atkinson’s remarkable debut

Gus Atkinson’s debut performance was a highlight of Anderson’s farewell match. The young pacer’s 12-wicket haul showcased his potential and hinted at a bright future for England’s bowling attack. Anderson’s mentorship and guidance were evident as he partnered with Atkinson on the field.

Gus Atkinson’s two 5-fers in the match is the first time for an England bowler on debut since 1934 and the first by a pacer since 1972 when Bob Massie (AUS) took against England at Lord’s.

Stuart Broad, renowned pace bowler of the England National Cricket Team, has responded to recent rumors regarding the exclusion of Virat Kohli, the esteemed batting stalwart of the India National Cricket Team, from the lineup for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, slated for June in the West Indies and USA.

On Tuesday, March 12, reports surfaced indicating uncertainty surrounding Virat Kohli’s inclusion in India’s T20 World Cup squad. According to sources cited by ‘The Telegraph,’ the BCCI selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, harbors doubts about Kohli’s batting suitability for the anticipated conditions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and USA, particularly with expectations of slower-paced pitches during the tournament.

Empowering the selection committee and team management to make strategic decisions aimed at breaking India’s ICC title drought, the BCCI may opt for a squad reshuffle to prioritize aggressive batting, possibly favoring players like Shivam Dube over Kohli, as per reports.

Broad Challenges Reports, Backs Kohli for T20 World Cup

Allegedly, Ajit Agarkar advised Kohli to adopt a more attacking approach in T20Is, a suggestion Kohli tested during his return against Afghanistan in January, where he posted a promising 29 runs off 16 balls in his initial match but faced dismissal without scoring in the subsequent game.

“This can’t be true. Just from a fan’s point of view of growing the game, the ICC putting games on in America, India Vs Pakistan in New York, Virat is the biggest draw of any player in the world. I’m sure he will be selected,” the England National Cricket Team bowling great posted.

Kohli’s stellar T20I record, boasting 4037 runs in 117 matches at an impressive average of 51.75 and a strike rate of 138.15, highlights his significance. His remarkable performance in the T20 World Cup 2022, where he emerged as the tournament’s leading run-scorer and delivered a memorable innings against Pakistan under immense pressure, further underscores his indispensability to the Indian squad.

In light of Kohli’s consistent contributions and past successes, Broad’s skepticism towards reports of his exclusion resonates with many cricket enthusiasts, who await official announcements regarding India’s T20 World Cup squad selection.

600+ wickets, 166 Tests and 17 years at the highest level, Stuart Broad has seen it all. From making his debut in white-ball cricket in 2006 to sledging and being schooled by Sourav Ganguly, and later being hit for a career-changing 6 sixes in an over, Stuart Broad did not have the best initiations to International Cricket.

What Stuard Broad did have though was passion and aggression. His competitive spirit was what separated him from his teammates as Broad generally was the one to spark the engine as England get ready for battle. Even before the current Ashes series, it was Stuart Broad who began the mind games when he spoke about his desire to watch Steve Smith bat a certain way.

Over his 17 years, Stuart Broad has worked his magic throughout the World and also went through some tough times as England threatened to take the new-ball away from him on quiet a few occasions. A crucial part of his career though will always be his battles against Australia.

For a player who has watched Australia at their best while growing up, Stuart Broad tried to emulate their brand of aggression and competitiveness. He started his Ashes journey in 2009 and has since gone on to take 151 wickets, the most by an English Cricketer against Australia. Overall, in Australia-England encounters, Stuart Broad stands third, behind his idols Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.

The Ashes would continue to be his defining point as Stuart Broad was hot topic during the ten Tests which took place between the two sides in 2013-2014. When Stuart Broad chose not to walk after edging a delivery, he became public enemy number one in Australia. The crowd was very hostile when he went to Australia later that year, and both him and England would not like to remember that series as Mitchell Johnson haunted them with his thunderbolts.

Broad though had his moments to brag in the first Test as he took five wickets in front of a crowd that wanted to see the worst happen to Stuart Broad at Brisbane. Despite Australia’s dominance, Broad stood out as his character was lauded by the English media in the face of some hostile performances from their opposition. He had more moments of redemption in 2015. After a bad World Cup, and a tough period in white-ball cricket where he briefly led the T20 side, Broad shifted his focus solely towards Test Cricket as England’s white-ball team changed direction.

He extended his run-up, started coming around the wicket more and from here on his dominance against David Warner began. He took 21 wickets in the 2015 Ashes series, often filling in when James Anderson missed out too injury. His 8-15 came in that series when he ripped the Australian batting line-up apart setting up a one-sided affair on a day where it all came through perfectly for him.

Stuart Broad though struggled in the away Ashes that followed in 2017, leading to questions over his longevity, and talks about the new ball being taken away from him with a new partner in search for James Anderson. He took ten wickets across the ten Tests in his worst haul against the Australians as England were left hoping for miracles from James Anderson, which he did provide on a few occasions like the Pink Ball Test where he kept them alive with a five-for.

The story didn’t end there though, despite talks of losing the new ball, Stuart Broad, a man who loves competition earnt it back with a strong performance against India. He peaked once more in the 2019 Ashes stepping up in the absence of James Anderson. With 19 wickets, Broad was at it again, and this time he haunted David Warner who was dismissed by him nine times in ten innings. His battle with Warner was the highlight as Stuart Broad continued to haunt him, dismissing him a record 17 times throughout his career.

Stuart Broad though still had some incomplete business in Australia. For a player who loves playing against Australia, Stuart Broad’s record in 2017 was dismal. He went back once more time in 2022 and cranked it up. His pace was good throughout the series and in the three Tests he played, Stuart Broad managed a five for and a haul of 13 wickets, reigniting his love for bowling against the Australian team.

If 2022 was a redemption, 2023 was going up higher. The last fourteen months has seen Stuart Broad bowl in a new manner under the new leadership, with the captain and coach looking for his aggressive style. He was dropped after the 2022 Ashes but the new group wanted him back and Broad has delivered ever since his return. In his Final Ashes, Stuart Broad opened up the first Test dismissing Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in quick time to set up the battle.

Throughout the series, along with Mark Wood, Stuart Broad was the one England turned to when they needed something special. With the media too, Broad was the one who started the mind games and with the bat Broad had his moments with Alex Carey after the Bairstow incident. To cap off his Final Test against Australia is a special moment for England’s leading wicket-taker against Australia.

Along with Stuart Broad the bowler, Stuart Broad the batter too was one to talk about. A decent left-hander, Broad had his numbers with his name on the Lords Honours board as well. He was pretty confident up until a Varun Aaron bouncer to the nose shook him up. Broad though found some more confidence in the Bazball period as the nighthawk, a role given by Ben Stokes.

It was a fitting moment to see him launch his final ball as a batter for six, and to take a wicket off his last ball too was just as fitting as he closed the Test match with a beautiful delivery to Alex Carey. His moment came through well and is now past as Stuart Broad walks away with 604 wickets behind him.

Stuart Broad, running in from James Anderson is bowling in his 17th year in international Cricket. It is from the very James Anderson end where Stuart Broad went on to join his friend, and partner in crime over the last decade in the 600 wicket club. Incidentally, both of them are the only pacers who have scaled the height of 600 Test Wickets. He got their with a bouncer at 82 MPH, which is not how he normally gets his wickets. Most of his wickets have been edges to the slip with Broad finding ways to make the ball sing to his tunes.

A short ball though had Travis Head hole out to Joe Root, who has taken a number of Stuart Broad’s edges at slip to give Stuart Broad his 600th Test Wicket. When Broad went through his previous milestones though he was quick to acknowledge that most of his milestone wickets were taken away from the slips and in unconventional positions. To get to 600 with a short ball is fitting considering the tenure he has played under in the last 14 months.

With his height and reasonable pace, Stuart Broad has probably bowled more bouncers in the Stokes-McCullum Tenure than he has done in his entire career. Thanks to his competitive nature, and flexibility, he has been able to fit in beautifully with England’s new aggressive style of play. The 600 mark speaks a lot about his longevity, and throughout his career Stuart Broad has managed to maintain the same levels of passion and aggression.

Prior to the series, it was Broad who led the way to start the mind games when he spoke about his desires of getting the Australians out in a certain manner. Four Tests later, after being dropped after the previous Ashes, Stuart Broad stands at the top of the wickets chart in the current Ashes series, against his favorite opponents.

His stats back the claim that they are his favorite opponents as well with Stuart Broad only behind Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath on the wickets chart in England-Australia Tests. The fact that the milestone came against them will make Broad all the happier as he now stands in a spot where only stand along with him.

An Ashes series always involves a lot of banter in its build-up, and Stuart Broad, as always is the on leading the way. Over his career, he has always shown a lot of competitive spirits, and now, with the backing of a really passionate captain, Stuart Broad has not hesitated to speak up before the Ashes. He has already made the headlines with his statement that England has voided the last Ashes tour due to Covid restrictions.

He is into his 17th year of international cricket and does not seem like he will be slowing down anytime soon. He’s moved quite a bit from when he expressed displeasure at being rested for a Test against West Indies in 2020, coming back to bring up some strong numbers. Earlier in 2022 as well, Stuart Broad was not pleased with being left out during the Caribbean tour, as he was left wondering if his Test Career was coming to an early end.

A year later, Stuart Broad is still bowling with the same spirit and energy as he walks into his ninth Ashes tour as excited as ever. His competitive edge was on display during the Ireland Test with Stuart Broad leading an attack that was without James Anderson, Ollie Pope and Mark Wood. Broad too had the option of missing out but chose to stay in and continue to lead a young attack.

With weeks to go for the Ashes, Stuart Broad has started the banter and fun. He has already said that he hopes Steve Smith tries to mimic England’s style of play. Steve Smith in the past has been England’s biggest thorn, having score a truckload of runs against the English bowling attack.

The Ashes will mark the return of another interesting battle, David Warner vs Stuart Broad. Last time David Warner was in England for a Test series, Stuart Broad haunted him taking Warner’s wickets seven times in five Tests.

The upcoming contests mark a decade of Broad vs Warner as the pair went on to lock horns in 45 innings after that. This time around though there is some uncertainty with their battle. Stuart Broad, like the other English pacers, is likely to only play three of the five Ashes Tests. David Warner on the other hand could well have his Test career decided by the second Ashes Test.

The Ashes are known to end Test careers and with Warner’s form in Test Cricket poor in recent times, his performance in the World Test Championship Final could decide how long he stays on for. David Warner though will not be fazed. He has made his name batting aggressively, and with Stuart Broad having the better of him, David Warner will relish the challenge and will not hold back when the two faces off.

With two weeks to go, Stuart Broad will be hoping to get back the Ashes for England for the first time since 2015. They’ve had some poor numbers against Australia in recent times and in what could be Broad’s last home Ashes, Broad and England will be desperate to make things right.

Stuart Broad’s dismissal of Conway, castled through the gate attempting a lavish drive, took him and Anderson to 1,002 wickets in the 133 Tests they have played together, above the haul of 1,001 managed by Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne for Australia across 104 games.

Stuart Broad’s subsequent removals of Williamson and Latham were brilliant – the 36-year-old nipping a delicious delivery back through the gate to bowl the right-handed Williamson and then doing likewise to poleaxe the left-handed Latham, shortly after having Latham dropped by Zak Crawley at slip during one of his trademark game-altering spells.

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Stuart Broad’s magic puts England on brink of its first Test victory

The seamer then smashed the stumps of first-innings centurion Blundell after Ollie Robinson had nicked off Henry Nicholls (7). A shell-shocked home side ended on 63-5 – Michael Bracewell (25no) and Daryl Mitchell (13no) extending the game into at least a fourth day – but England are closing in on a 10th victory in 11 Tests since Ben Stokes became captain and former Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum head coach as well as a first in New Zealand since 2008, the tour on which Anderson and Broad were first paired.

Broad began the day with the bat in his hand, having come out as England’s ‘nighthawk’ on the second evening once Crawley was caught behind off home debutant Blair Tickner (3-55). Stuart Broad made himself and James Anderson the record wicket-taking partnership in Test history as he shredded New Zealand during a stunning spell to put England on course for victory in the pink-ball game at Mount Maunganui.

If ageing like fine wine had a picture James Anderson’s would be the most apt one. 20 years ago, to this day, James Anderson made his Test debut and now stands with 177 Test caps and 675 Test Wickets. He is behind Sachin Tendulkar for most Test Caps, and to get this far as a fast bowler makes it really tough to believe. Fast bowling is an activity that is known to take a lot out of the body. However, James Anderson, with a swift side on action. has learnt to handle the rigors of fast bowling in Test Cricket, leaving him in the reckoning for so long.

He came into the English side after just one season with Lancashire. A promising opening season saw him make the ODI side against Australia. He then went on to play the 2003 World Cup, starting a World Cup career which went on till 2015. During his days as an ODI bowler, James Anderson did enjoy some good moments. He remains England’s leading ODI Wicket taker and was really good with his accuracy. With England taking a new direction though, James Anderson’s white-ball journey came to an end in 2015, allowing him to prolong his red-ball career.

His Test career though took different turns. Following his debut, James Anderson was in and out of the side for a good five years. Injuries, lack of accuracy and modifications to his actions saw him miss a lot of Cricket. He came back though and now has one of the swiftest of actions. A smooth run-up, gentle load-up, side-on and relaxed follow-through has allowed him to come where he now is. At Trent Bridge in 2008, James Anderson truly announced himself with a seven wicket haul. His bond with Stuart Broad also began around that time.

From there on, James Anderson stuck around as a regular. In his 29th Test he got his 100th Test wicket with a beautiful inswinger to trap Jacques Kallis. In 2010, James Anderson had one of his best years. He dominated Pakistan at home and then proved he had it in him while playing away from home as he took control of the 2010 Ashes in Australia. He crossed the 200 wicket mark in the process and was quickly on his way to 300.

The 300 mark came in 2013, few months before the disastrous Ashes series, in which James Anderson was England’s only bright spot with the fight he provided. He took 14 wickets, which did not make much of a difference on the scoreline, but was easily England’s best performer in the series.

The 2013 Ashes series saw Anderson get involved in some on-field battles. After an altercation with George Bailey, Michael Clarke went on to tell Anderson to prepare himself for a broken arm. His on-field encounters did not stop in the Ashes. In 2014, James Anderson had an encounter with Ravindra Jadeja, resulting in Anderson playing with a ban threat throughout the series.

He put those incidents behind him and became England’s most prolific bowler, going past Ian Botham in his 100th Test. The 400 mark was not far away with Martin Guptill falling victim in Headingly shortly after. In 2017 though, James Anderson did the unthinkable. He touched the 500 mark, a mark breached by only two fast bowlers before him. Stuart Broad, his long time partner joined him soon, highlighting the longevity of the pair.

After 500 though, James Anderson did not stop. He crossed Glenn McGrath in Alastair Cook’s last Test as England clinched a Five Test home series against India. 600 came quickly as Anderson got Azhar Ali in 2020. He is the first fast bowler to reach the mark, and is now chasing after 700 and Shane Warne’s haul of 708 wickets.

Throughout his career, James Anderson has proved his worth on countless occasions. A handful of on-field battles with some of the fiercest in the game, including Mitchell Johnson and a long list of bunnies indicates his talent. No bowler has dismissed Sachin Tendulkar more than him in Test Cricket. His dominance against top-order batters is another aspect which highlights his quality. Throughout his career, he has gone through some fierce battles.

His encounters with Virat Kohli is a particularly special one. After making Kohli his bunny in 2014, James Anderson failed to dismiss him in the 2018 series. In 2021 though, James Anderson got back as the pair enjoyed one more epic battle. His average and performances have only improved after he crossed 30, and more so after he went past the age of 35. Now, at 40, there is no telling how long he stays on. Anderson though continues to defy conventional notions on fast bowlers, as he keeps getting better and better.

He knows his body well, and is enjoying Test Cricket under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, which could keep him going longer. At 177 Test Caps it remains uncertain how many more Anderson would like to add. He has set his sights on the home Ashes, which is promising to be very entertaining given how the English Team has improved after the last Ashes.

He is probably among the last fast-bowlers though who could extend their careers into their 40s. The likes of Stuart Broad and Tim Southee could follow him, but with franchise Cricket on the rise, they may be the last to do so. 20 years on though, James Anderson has shown that a fast bowler can stay around into their late 30s. He has certainly aged like fine wine and continues to show that he has a lot more to offer to Test Cricket. With a Test Series win against Pakistan, he now has another feather in his cap, which is probably as worn-out as ever now.

ENG vs SA 2nd Test: England’s experienced pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad dismissed three South Africa batters each as the Proteas were bowled out on Day 1 of the second Test match at Old Trafford on Thursday (August 25).

It might have been worse for the Proteas, who dropped to 92-7 after choosing to bat prior to pushing to a more respectable total because of Kagiso Rabada’s 36. Rabada was the last man out, with the innings only lasting 53.2 overs.

The 40-year-old Anderson, playing on his home ground in Manchester, had figures of 3-32 to take his national-record haul of wickets to 661. Broad took 3-37. It was a strong start  by England, which was hoping to answer an innings defeat at Lord’s last week in the first trial of the three-match series.

The South Africans went with two spinners in Manchester, getting off spinner Simon Harmer for bowling allrounder Marco Jansen. England’s only change from Lord’s saw Ollie Robinson replace fellow fast bowler Matt Potts after proving his fitness following various injury niggles.

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James Anderson’s new Test record

James Anderson has added yet another record. When he took field for the second Test versus South Africa at Old Trafford in Manchester. The pace bowling legend made history by becoming the first cricketer in the history  of Test cricket to play 100 matches at home. Not to forget, a total of 72 cricketers have played more than 100 Tests. However, not a single one of them has shown up in more than 100 Tests at home. Anderson is the first cricketer to do so and after him is the Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who has 94 appearances in India from 200 Test matches.

England teammate Stuart Broad is fourth on the list with 91 appearances while former partner Alastair Cook is fifth with 89 Tests at home. Overall, Anderson comes behind Tendulkar with 174 Test appearances. Cook and Broad are the only other England players with more than 150 Tests added to their repertoire.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad have 1137 Test Wickets combined, and have enjoyed long careers together as England’s best ever pace bowlers. They are the top-two pacers in England, and have carried the side for over a decade and a half, pairing with each other for the new ball, and creating a magnificent partnership.

While Stuart Broad made his debut in 2007, James Anderson started much earlier. He wasn’t a regular in the side though as James Anderson spent years toiling in the England Nets, as he was often erratic, and struggled with his fitness. In 2008, James Anderson and Stuart Broad started their journey together. Their journey started in a similar manner as to how it ended. They came in as England dropped the likes of Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard, after a tough period, and both bowlers struggled to comeback.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad are in a similar situation today. They started together back in 2007, and enjoyed a dream run of nearly 15 years with the new ball, and where unchallenged in England. There were not many pacers who could get the new-ball out of their hands, and both bowlers found success in Tests and ODIs.

Their ODI exploits are often ignored, but the two pacers were regular partners for a good eight years as well. Both pacers are in the top three wicket-takers for England, but were dropped after the 2015 World Cup, when England began a white-ball revamp, similar to the red-ball revamp this time around.

Together, James Anderson and Stuart Broad scaled numerous heights, winning series in Australia, winning a series in India, and being the sole bright spots for the England Cricket team in the 2013 Ashes. They were a deadly combination at home and often teams would be found out by one of them each game. They have a handful of five wicket hauls, and enjoyed a unchallenged run till 2017. In 2017, Stuart Broad’s form waned a touch after a tough Ashes in Australia, and James Anderson struggled with injuries, while his age also became a talking point.

Broad’s formed almost led him to losing the new-ball, but he just managed to cling on after decent series against India in 2018. His resurrection though, came in the 2019 Ashes, where h owned David Warner, and carried the bowling attack in Anderson’s absence. From almost losing the new-ball, Stuart Broad enjoyed a period of growth, and with James Anderson going strong the pacers were again unchallenged until the pandemic.

The pandemic saw England employ a rest and rotation system and this led to England resting Stuart Broad in the first Test against West Indies in 2020, and James Anderson in the second. They didn’t want to play both their experienced bowlers together as they were looking at workload management. The decision to avoid playing both pacers didn’t go down well as Stuart Broad expressed disappointment and this led to some leeway in the selection as James Anderson and Stuart Broad were selected together for the third Test against West Indies.

With Jofra Archer and Olly Stone injured, England were heavily relying on their pace bowling duo at the Ashes. Both pacers played in three of the Tests, and their experience came in handy. They were among England’s best bowlers and maintained and average below 27 through the series. Stuart Broad had a five-wicket haul as well, but the batting was too poor to support Anderson and Broad.

Despite being among the best pacers in the Ashes, James Anderson and Stuart Broad were a part of a period of poor handling from England. England making rash decisions is a norm. They dropped legends, David Grower and Ian Botham back in 1990, Kevin Pietersen after a decent Ashes in 2013, and now sacked their coaches along with best bowlers. At the age of 39 and 35, a come back seems tough, but with the county season approaching, James Anderson and Stuart Broad may fight one more time to make a comeback and end their careers on a high.

After another dismal tour, and a poor season the test captaincy comes into question yet again. While Joe Root insists to keep the captaincy, calls for his removal grow louder and louder with each defeat. While the calls aren’t wrong, England may have questions related to the other options in the squad. As England have very few who are regular members of the eleven and inform, the scenario makes Joe Root’s role all the more secure. Let us now look at the candidates for the role

Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes is a frontrunner for the role as he is a direct pick in the eleven, when available. However, with heavy responsibility on him with both bat and ball, Stokes may feel overburdened if given the leadership. Stokes is returning from a break for mental health, and still has a bit of rediscovering to do as he rebuilds his stature. In the past, Stokes has done superhuman stuff for England and has raised his hand over various difficult positions. He played with fatigue and injury, and lead the side against Pakistan before when the white-ball team couldn’t play due to covid. With some strong credentials, Stokes is a frontrunner for the role, but England may not want to overburden him.

Jos Buttler

Like Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler comes in with a lot of experience, and has also lead the white-ball teams in the past. However, Buttler’s Test numbers may lead to questions regarding his presence in the eleven. He is a handy player when on song, and has a cool head, but has not lived up to his potential, leaving him an unlikely option.

Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad has been earmarked for captaincy on numerous occasions, and has also lead the white-ball teams for a considerable period early in his career. He is a strong character, and hates missing games. His ability to speak his heart out is an aspect that may help England get the motivation to push themselves. Broad though is 35 years old, and his future is uncertain. Being a fast bowler demands a lot on a players body, and with age not on his side, Broad may miss more games despite his hatred for sitting out.

Rory Burns

Rory Burns has some strong captaincy credentials having lead Surrey to the 2018 County Championship. He is another player who has been apart of the set up for a while, having become a regular after Cook’s retirement. He has some good numbers as well, but in between the big scores there are a lot of weak showings that are highlighted. The recent Ashes performance as well may go against his appointment. His first ball dismissal at Brisbane set things up for England, and Burn’s spot was always in doubt. If Burns does regain his form though, he could be a viable candidate for the role.

Joe Root

Joe Root has led in 61 Tests, more than any other England Test captain. He still wants to lead, but the numbers and history go against him. He led in two Ashes tours, and both ended dismally. Last year he carried England on his own with the bat, and was a more than handy bowler. As a captain though some of his tactics are questionable. He is sometimes found waiting, and can also be harsh when using his bowler, having overbowled pacers like Wood and Archer in the past. However, with very few options to look to, England may have to stick with Joe Root as skipper. The team hasn’t done justice, and his captaincy has also looked off, but for the time being both England and Joe Root haven’t got much choice.