James Anderson wants to return under Ben Stokes: ‘Stuart Broad and I were hoping our careers weren’t over’ | Cricket News

James Anderson and Stuart Broad, England’s all-time leading Test wicket takers, were left out of the squad for the tour of the West Indies in March; Rob Key, the newly appointed managing director of the ECB, told Sky Sports this week that the duo could feature for England this summer

James Anderson would like to return to the England Test set-up

James Anderson wants to return to the England Test team under new captain Ben Stokes after being controversially dropped from the squad.

Anderson and Stuart Broad, England’s all-time leading Test wicket takers with 1,177 wickets between them, were left out of the 16-man squad for the three-Test tour of the West Indies in March, which the team lost 1-0.

Rob Key, the newly appointed managing director of the ECB, told Sky Sports this week that the duo could feature for England this summer and were keen to be involved.

“Stuart and I were hoping our careers weren’t over. So it’s nice to hear there’s a chance,” Anderson told the BBC.

“It still means we’ve got to put in some performances here with our counties to prove that we’re playing well enough to get in that final 11.

“Because of the situation and not having people in these roles, you’re just so unsure of what’s going to happen. So now having that clarity is really nice.”

England unveiled Stokes as their Test captain on Thursday, hoping for a swift turnaround after a tame end this month to Joe Root’s five years in charge.

Stokes’ first assignment will be a two-match home series in June against New Zealand.

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Former England captain and Sky Sports Cricket pundit Nasser Hussain agrees that Ben Stokes is the best candidate to lead the Test team and his advice is to do it his own way

Stuart Broad and James Anderson ‘available’ for selection

Asked whether Broad and Anderson will feature for England this summer, Key told Sky Sports News: “Yeah, they will.

“Before it got announced I was doing this job, I rang them up and said to both of them that – in my opinion – you’re both available for selection.

“‘I can’t promise you you’re going to play, all that type of stuff, you’re just available for selection’. Then Ben Stokes was very clear on the fact he wants Jimmy and Broady to come back in.

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James Anderson and Stuart Broad took County Championship wickets on the day that Rob Key, the new managing director of England men’s cricket, said they would be available for Test selection this summer

“Now, it will be purely be done on what is the best eleven to win that first Test match, nothing more and nothing less. If they’re in that, which is every chance they will be because they’re two great bowlers, then they’ll play.”

The news came on the day that Anderson picked up three wickets for Lancashire against Hampshire, and Broad, playing his first match of the season, struck once for Nottinghamshire against Worcestershire.

Key said: “They just want to continue on this journey they’ve been on [with England]. They didn’t want it to finish in the way that it possibly might have done. They were obviously both very happy to be up for selection for that first Test match.”