NEW DELHI: England Test captain
Ben Stokes
paid a heartfelt tribute to
James Anderson
, who retired from international cricket after a long and successful career.
Anderson's final match at Lord's didn't end as he would have hoped, but his achievements over the years spoke volumes about his greatness.
In his last Test against West Indies, Anderson had a chance to take the final wicket, but he couldn't hold on to a return catch from Gudakesh Motie.
Despite the missed opportunity, he finished the match with impressive figures of 1/26 and 3/32 in the two innings.
During the post-match press conference, Stokes showered praise on the 41-year-old veteran, acknowledging his outstanding contributions to English cricket since his debut in 2003.
Anderson's legacy as one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of the game remains unquestionable, and his presence will be sorely missed in the England team.
"Sometimes you can be a bit lost for words, and if you gave me 15 minutes, I still wouldn't be able to compliment him enough. He is 41 years old and still always looking to improve himself as a bowler," Stokes said as quoted from Sky Sports.
"If you look at how his career has gone, he's just gotten better and better, and that's a testament to his desire to always want to get better. He's always wanted to contribute to the team and every single time he's walked out onto the field, he's done that. He's a great person to look up to," he added.
Gus Atkinson, a newcomer to the international cricket scene, captured the attention of spectators during Anderson's final match. The young bowler has the potential to spearhead England's pace attack for the foreseeable future.
Atkinson, who had already made a name for himself in the domestic cricket circuit, made a stunning debut by claiming seven wickets in the first innings, announcing his arrival on the global stage.
The 26-year-old reflected on his childhood memories of visiting Lord's to witness Anderson's artistry on the cricket field. He admired the veteran's graceful run-up, smooth bowling action, and the ability to deliver the ball with pinpoint accuracy.
"It's been an incredible week. I just want to say thanks to Jimmy, playing here in his last Test has been incredible," said Atkinson.
"Growing up, Jimmy was someone I'd come here to Lord's and watch, and standing at mid-off I was looking at Jimmy running in thinking I'd seen that so many times on the TV, so it was amazing. What's so good with this group is you're allowed to come in and be the player you want to be, and it's helped me massively. To come out and do so well this week is fantastic," he added.
Anderson, a stalwart of English cricket, bid farewell to the sport after an extraordinary journey that began at the hallowed grounds of Lord's in 2003.
English (US) ·