The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have named the England Test squad for the upcoming three-Test series in the Caribbean and surprisingly have left out their leading all-time wicket-takers in the format, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, The Telegraph revealed.
The England team has seen a huge change in regime after the disastrous Ashes 2021-22 tour of Australia, where they were decimated 0-4 in the five-Test series. England was humiliated in the entire series, which worsened with every Test match, barring the Sydney Test, which Anderson and Broad managed to draw, by batting out the last 8 overs together.
Meanwhile, ECB has sacked Chris Silverwood as the head coach of the team, while England men’s team’s Director of Cricket Ashley Giles resigned in the aftermath. Sir Andrew Strauss has taken over the role on an interim basis, while ECB named Paul Collingwood as the head coach for the West Indies Test series.
James Anderson And Stuart Broad’s England Red-Ball Career Over?
Now as per the Telegraph report, it has been almost confirmed that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) under the tutelage of Andrew Strauss have decided to go forward in a new direction despite Anderson, 39, topping the bowling averages on the Ashes tour for England.
Anderson, writing for Telegraph Sport in December, said he wanted to carry on beyond the Ashes: “I just want to keep working hard and I would love to be part of the West Indies tour in March. I see that as my next challenge. Stuff is taken out of my hands in that respect but all I can do is bowl well and keep contributing. I still get enjoyment out of bowling. I still love playing for England. I feel like I can actually help this team move forward. For me, that is why I keep going.”
However, now it seems that his Test career for England might come to an end after 169 Tests and 640 wickets. It is a surprise Strauss and Root have made such a bold call before the new head coach is appointed, and that person may have different ideas and want to bring Anderson back at some stage this summer.
Stuart Broad, on the other hand, has 537 wickets in 152 Test matches and is relatively younger at 35 than Anderson and may make a comeback into the England team in the future, but for now, it seems, the ECB are moving on with a fresh and younger look.