LONDON: England’s James Anderson has become the first pace bowler to take 700 Test wickets.

Anderson is third on the all-time list of wicket-takers in Tests behind spinners Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka and Australia’s Shane Warne.

Compatriot Stuart Broad is the closest pace bowler on the list, claiming 604 before his retirement last July.

The duo are the only pace bowlers to reach 600, with Australia’s Glenn McGrath previously holding the record at 563, which Anderson passed in 2018.

Anderson has reached the milestone in 187 Tests, at an average of 26.52.

England captain Ben Stokes said it was “amazing” to be on the pitch with Anderson when he took his 700th wicket.

“I’ve been there for quite a few of his milestones but 700 wickets as a seamer is phenomenal,” added Stokes, speaking after India won the fifth Test by an innings and 64 runs to claim a 4-1 series victory.

“Every young kid out there who wants to be a fast bowler should be looking up to him and trying to emulate everything that he does.

“He’s 41 but as fit as I’ve ever seen him. I don’t know when he’s going to stop because he’s still got so much desire and commitment.”

Sir Alastair Cook, who captained Anderson in 49 Tests, told TNT Spots: “It is a superb achievement.

“His hunger to get better and win games of cricket for England is unbelievable. The physical challenges he has overcome to be able to play nearly 190 Test matches is a joke and his skill is a joke.”

Former England bowler Steven Finn said: “At the foothills of the Himalayas, James Anderson has reached the insurmountable summit for a fast bowler in Test match cricket.

“Nobody will ever taken more than 700 Test wickets as a fast bowler. He’s a remarkable man and player and he’s still going.”

India legend Sachin Tendulkar, who Anderson dismissed nine times in Tests, called it a “stellar achievement”.

He added: “A fast bowler playing for 22 years and performing so consistently to be able to take 700 wickets would have sounded like fiction until Anderson actually made it happen. Simply magnificent.”

Anderson has taken 434 of his 700 wickets at home, with 266 coming overseas.

He has taken 117 wickets in Ashes Tests against Australia, with 68 coming down under, making it his most successful country outside of the UK.

His debut came against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in May 2003, with opener Mark Vermuelen becoming his first wicket in his third over.

A 22-year career has followed, with Anderson’s most successful year in 2010 when he took 57 wickets. He has passed 50 in a year on two other occasions, in 2013 and 2017.

Anderson took 26 wickets in his debut year of 2003, but then just 36 across the next four years as he struggled to nail a spot initially, before becoming a regular from 2008.

The right-armer has been a mainstay opening the bowling since, but his international future was in doubt when left out of the squad for a tour of West Indies in March 2022.

He, and Broad, who was also dropped, were both recalled by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum when the duo became captain and head coach later that year.

Anderson also played 194 one-day internationals for England between 2002 and 2015, taking 269 wickets, while he claimed 19 victims in 18 T20 internationals.

BBC