Glenn McGrath calls James Anderson 'Sachin Tendulkar of fast bowling' in ultimate tribute

After an agonizing wait which involved everything from rain interruptions to multiple dropped catches, England bowler James Anderson finally got his 600th Test wicket on the final day of the England vs Pakistan 2020 series. In the 62nd over of Pakistan's second innings, the fast bowler dismissed Pakistan captain Azhar Ali to reach the milestone, with an outswinging delivery taking the edge, with Joe Root completing the catch at slip. With this, James Anderson became the first fast bowler to reach 600 wickets, with wishes pouring in from all corners.

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Glenn McGrath compares James Anderson to Sachin Tendulkar

Speaking to BBC after the game, legendary fast bowler Glenn McGrath heaped praise on James Anderson for becoming the first fast bowler to reach the milestone. Glenn McGrath claimed that by taking 600 wickets, James Anderson has raised the bar for fast bowlers around the world, just like Sachin Tendulkar did for batsmen. Glenn McGrath, who previously held the record for most wickets by a fast bowler with 563 Test wickets, compared James Anderson to Sachin Tendulkar.

Explaining his statement, Glenn McGrath went onto say that just like no one is ever going to beat Sachin Tendulkar for the number of runs he has scored and the matches he has played, James Anderson has done the same when it comes to fast bowling. While concluding, Glenn McGrath modestly claimed that he himself didn't have the skill like James Anderson does, claiming that no one’s better than him when he’s in control and swinging the ball both ways.

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Soon after James Anderson achieved the feat, Sachin Tendulkar himself took to Twitter to congratulate the bowler. Sharing a picture of the England bowler, Sachin Tendulkar wrote that Anderson picking up 600 Test wickets was an incredible achievement. Praising the bowler for the milestone, Sachin Tendulkar said that 600 wickets in 17 years are a testament to James Anderson’s grit, perseverance and accurate bowling.

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Anderson Test wickets

By picking up his 600th wicket, James Anderson became just the fourth bowler in the history of Test cricket to reach the milestone. The England pacer has spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (709) and Anil Kumble (619) ahead of him. Anderson’s Test wickets tally currently puts him 37 wickets clearer of the next fast bowler, which is Australia’s Glenn McGrath. The active bowler closest to James Anderson's tally is his teammate Stuart Broad, who has 514 Test wickets to his name. In 156 Test matches, the pacer has picked 600 wickets at an average of 26.79 and a strike of 56.2.

Also Read: James Anderson Takes Landmark 600th Test Wicket, Netizens Laud Pacer's Incredible Journey