Australian great admires English veteran's exceptional work ethic, attitude & longevity
CHENNAI: Australian legend
Glenn McGrath
hailed
James Anderson
for achieving a monumental feat, saying that the England veteran has scaled a peak which no other pacer may reach in the future, given the rigours of fast bowling.
Anderson, ageing like fine wine and still going strong at 41, on Saturday became the first pace bowler to join the elite '700 Test wickets club' that currently has only three members. The right-armer had made his Test debut way back in 2003 and has been playing as a long-format specialist since 2015.
"Absolutely incredible,"
McGrath
said of Anderson's milestone on the sidelines of the
MRF Pace Foundation
'
Ace Of Pace
' fast-bowler hunt here.
"He is setting the bar where no one else will achieve (reach). The fact that he is still playing now, he is 41. He still has the desire, attitude and motivation to train and put him through the pain of fast bowling. To do it day in and day out is amazing. It is exceptional," added McGrath, who is serving as the director of the MRF Pace Foundation.
"700 Test wickets is amazing, but playing 180 (187) Test matches in itself… just the longevity, his work ethic and attitude. Shaping up day in and day out is absolutely incredible. How many years has he been playing for? 21. For a fast bowler, it is exceptional."
McGrath also spoke about the importance of grooming fast-bowling talent and how the process will come in handy during a national team's transition phase.
"You always need to have the next generation of bowlers coming through. The Australians are very similar (to the Indians), they have had the same bowling line-up for a long time. You may get to a stage where two or three players retire at the same time. Who is going to come in and fill that void? We have got the
Ranji Trophy
, Indian Premier League and competitions around here. It is great to see the quality of bowlers who are coming through," said McGrath.
On the recipe for fast-bowling success, McGrath said: "The skill to be able to bowl, physical strength and mental strength. It is the attitude that will take one to the next level."
English (US) ·