'Kitna kheloge aur yaar'- Fans react as James Anderson has no plans to retire after ongoing Ashes series

England veteran pacer James Anderson has said that he has no plans of retiring from the game any time soon.

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Rohit Kumar
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James Anderson

James Anderson (Source: Twitter)

England veteran pacer James Anderson has said that he has no plans of retiring from the game any time soon despite his age and his poor form in the ongoing Ashes against Australia. Anderson, who turns 41 on Sunday, is England's leading wicket-taker with 690 wickets in Tests.

However, he has only taken five wickets in the Ashes so far, averaging well under 75. He stated he would keep playing as long as captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, under whom he has taken 50 wickets in 14 Tests, continued to encourage him.

I feel like I’ve been in so much control, my body has been in a good place: James Anderson

Anderson told the BBC, “As soon as you get into your thirties as a bowler, people are asking how long you’ve got left. But in the past three or four years, I’ve bowled as well as I ever have." "I feel like I’ve been in so much control, my body has been in a good place, my skills are as good as they ever have been. The numbers, the wickets, the selection side of it is a completely different issue."

"If Stokesy and Baz (McCullum) say ‘You’ve not got the wickets we would have liked,’ then I’d be absolutely fine with that. In terms of retirement, I’ve got no interest in going any time soon." "I have tried not to listen to the comments. For me that question has been there for the last six years, even longer. As soon as you get into your 30s as a bowler, it's, 'how long has he got left?"

The 40-year-old further stated, "The last three or four years Iw feel like I have bowled as well as I ever have. I feel like I have been in so much control, my body is in a good place, my skills are as good as they have ever been."

The pacer, who got a groin injury before the Ashes, acknowledged that he was going through a "lean patch," but he was certain that he would bounce back in the last Test's second innings, where Australia is leading the hosts by 12 runs.

Here's how fans reacted

The Ashes James Anderson