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[Saba Sports News] James Anderson achieved a monumental milestone in cricket history, becoming the first seamer to collect 700 Test wickets, an extraordinary feat in the modern era dominated by franchise cricket. Opting out of white-ball formats early in his career to extend his tenure in Test cricket, Anderson shows no signs of slowing down. His historic 700th dismissal came on the third day of the fifth Test against India in Dharamshala, where he claimed Kuldeep Yadav’s wicket, celebrated by teammates’ embraces and a standing ovation from the Barmy Army.
Sachin Tendulkar, an icon of Indian cricket, praised Anderson’s unparalleled accomplishment, recalling a conversation from 2002 where Nasser Hussain predicted Anderson’s potential to make history. Tendulkar highlighted the magnificence of Anderson’s journey, emphasizing the rarity of a fast bowler maintaining such high standards over two decades. He shared his admiration on social media, acknowledging Anderson’s exceptional career and his personal duels with the bowler over the years.
“The first time I saw Anderson play was in Australia in 2002, and his control over the ball looked special. Nasser Hussain spoke very highly of him back then and today, I am sure, he would say, “Maine bola tha” — that he had called it so early,” Sachin shared on social media. “700 test wickets is a stellar achievement. 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,” he added.
Michael Vaughan, another former England captain, also commended Anderson, pointing out the sheer improbability of a fast bowler achieving such a milestone, given the physical demands and injury risks associated with pace bowling. Vaughan’s accolade reflects his skepticism that any fast bowler will replicate Anderson’s incredible feat, underscoring the exceptional nature of Anderson’s accomplishment in the realm of Test cricket.