'At times I'd tell my fast bowlers, ‘Just watch that'': How Shastri used Anderson's 'work ethic' to inspire India pacers
India legend Ravi Shastri was full of praise for the England fast bowler, hailing him as one of the best pacers to have ever played the sport. He also revealed how he used Anderson's 'work ethic' to inspire Indian fast bowlers during his time as the head coach.
The evergreen James Anderson's remarkable Test career continues as he replaced Australia skipper Pat Cummins and went past India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to become the No.1 ranked bowler on the latest ICC Men's Test Rankings. India legend Ravi Shastri was full of praise for the England fast bowler, hailing him as one of the best pacers to have ever played the sport. He also revealed how he used Anderson's 'work ethic' to inspire Indian fast bowlers during his time as the head coach.
Overall, this is the sixth time Anderson has held the top ranking spot in his career that had begun back in 2003, the first of which was in 2016. And the last time Anderson had scaled to the top of the chart was in 2018. At 40 years and 207 days, his rise also meant that he became the oldest bowler since Australian great Clarrie Grimmett had achieved the feat in 1936.
Speaking on the latest episode of The ICC Review, Shastri recalled that he used to keenly watch Anderson's practice sessions while he was on tour with the Indian team as their head coach and even ask Indian pacers to watch his "work ethic" and "professionalism".
"I used to watch him so closely when I was a coach on tours of England every time. And what I used to admire was his work ethic,” Shastri said. "Even in Indian conditions, there were times he didn't play in India. But he would go out to bowl at lunch or straight after the day’s play or before the day’s play.
"I would say he would bowl 20 balls or 25 balls at the most. But every ball, he would give it his all. And at times I would tell my fast bowlers, ‘Just watch that. Just watch the professionalism, the work ethic’. And it's not a half-hearted delivery. Those 15-20 balls, whatever they had to bowl, would be as if he's bowling in a game. He bowls six and maybe takes a little break as if it's someone else's bowling. Then come back and do that. And then the action, the follow through and the rhythm, the running in, was just the same for all those 20 balls.
"So these are real professionals, and a stickler for fitness. You can't play at 40 and produce these kinds of results unless you are supremely fit. So, hats off. Well done, Jimmy. I would say. He’s a role model. He inspires so many. Leave alone batters playing at the age of 40, but for a fast bowler to play at 40, you just salute it."
Anderson now ranks third in the world in the list of all-time test wicket-takers. With 682 wickets, he only stands behind the spin duo Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708). 429 of those wickets came at home, which is the second-most after the Sri Lankan spin wizard (493).
"Jimmy will be number one in England,” Shastri noted. "He is a master of his craft and as good as any swing bowler you've seen in English conditions. He'll be right up there, right up with the very best in the world in those conditions. You've got to know where your off stump is. Otherwise he'll find it very quickly and he will expose you badly.”