Former England pacer Steve Harmison has opened up on James Anderson's Test future saying that he "would have loved to have seen him retire this week."
Anderson's struggles during the entirety of the Ashes 2023 were there for everyone to see. The 41-year-old English pacer could only manage to bag five wickets after toiling hard for a total of 154 overs in the four matches that he played during the series. He was rested for the third Ashes Test at Headingley in Leeds.
Considered one of the finest pacers of the modern generation, Anderson's average during the series read - 85.40. With 1/51 as his best bowling figures in an innings and 2/117 as his best bowling figures in a game, Anderson was far from his best during the Ashes and it required the other pacers in the squad to do the heavy lifting.
Reflecting on his performances in the recent series, former England pacer Steve Harmison mentioned that Anderson was unlucky in the series after he got injured leading into the first Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
"I’m not sure how long I see Jimmy holding out for. I would have loved to have seen him retire this week. Not because of ability and age, I just think going out at the top against Australia is always the best way to go.
"He’s been unlucky this series as he got an injury just before the first Test and missed a bit of cricket. I thought he didn’t have that zip that’s made him so potent for a number of years. Whether that’s just out of rhythm or the age factor, only Jimmy knows," Harmison told inews.co.uk.
Though Harmison pointed out that a player like Anderson deserves to "go out when he wants to," he cautioned the England and Wales Cricket Board to be practical regarding Anderson's Test future and not wait for a "fairytales" to happen.
"He deserves to go out when he wants to. But England have got a decision to make. They can’t work on fairytales, they have to work on practicality.
"Is Jimmy going to be one of their best three seamers in India over those five Test matches? He might play one or two, but can he get through to next summer? Will England even take him to India?" added Harmison.
