Jimmy Anderson- the name says it all. One of the great pace bowlers of all time debuting in Test cricket in the year 2003 and it’s been almost two decades that he is serving the England National cricket team with his extra-ordinary performances with the ball.
He is the first pace bowler with over 600 Test wickets while only three spinners have breached the 600-wicket barrier in Test cricket before Anderson. They are Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708) and Anil Kumble (619).
Achieving the above mentioned feat at the age of 38 where most of the players usually think of retiring, he is one of those greats in cricket who haven’t even thought of shortening his bowling run up. Over the years, understanding his best of the abilities with the ball is something which evolved him as a complete pacer. He is one of the experts of reverse swing bowling with the key in his wrist position, which remains straight. He doesn’t try to cut the ball with his fingers or flick the wrist. He just adjusts the seam position, and gets the swing.
Since the start of the year 2020 and considering the Test matches he has played with different nations across the globe, it is seen that his performance in the 2nd innings in almost all the matches he has appeared is not at par if compared to the performance during the first innings of the Test matches that he appeared.
It is something which is also a matter of concern – considering such a great bowler of all time. In this particular analysis, we will be looking at data regarding his performance in both the innings of a Test match against different countries since 2020 and see if it is really evident that he has been bowling the best of his spells during the 1st innings of a Test match.
Anderson appeared in 14 Test matches from the beginning of the year 2020 against South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and last but not the least India. He has played most of his Test matches against India during this period.
Looking at the above graph it is quite evident that playing against all the nations, he has shown better performance during the 1st innings of his game play. From picking up 5 wickets against South Africa during the 1st innings while picking up 2 during the second innings. Against Pakistan, it is seen that he was performing at his peak in the first innings with a 5 wicket haul while picking only 2 during the second innings.
Anderson against India
Anderson has appeared in 7 test matches since the beginning of 2020 against India and bowled in 5 Test matches considering both the innings. The data below reveals the story further. He has good numbers in almost all the first innings of the matches he has played against India but the figures go statistically down when compared to his performance during the second innings of his game play. The graph below reveals it all.
Conclusion
Jimmy Anderson is currently the third highest wicket taker of all times and is still on a mission to be the best out of the best.
Since the beginning of the year 2020 it is seen that he has bowled superbly during the 1st innings of a Test match but not during the 2nd innings which made us look into such data.
The graphical representations shown above proves the same. The only seamer aged 39 years- that’s old for an active Test cricketer, and almost unheard of among fast bowlers.
Also, according to CricViz, Anderson’s expected average is only marginally higher in the second innings compared to his first innings efforts. Anderson can be seen as a devastating force during the first innings but others need to carry most of the load during the second Innings of his game play.
Apart from Anderson’s second-innings struggles, his first-innings success, however, at least provides hope that there’s still a lot left of him yet and replacing Anderson will be a near-impossible job, and it’s one that England won’t want to think about if they don’t have to.