England vs Pakistan: James Anderson becomes 1st pacer to take 600 wickets in history of Test cricket

England’s 38-year-old evergreen pacer pacer James Anderson created history on Tuesday after becoming the first pacer to scalp 600 wickets in Test cricket. James Anderson, who took three quick wickets on Day 2 of the ongoing Test match against Pakistan, two on Day 3, one on Day 4 and then dismissed Azhar Ali on Day 5 to complete his tally of 600 Test victims.

In a 17-year-old glorious Test career, James Anderson is now only behind former spinners Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warner and Anil Kumble, when it comes to the highest number of wickets in the longest format of the game.

Indian batsmen have been at the receiving end of James Anderson power packed seam and swing bowling. Out of his 600 wickets, the Lancashire-born pacer has 110 Indian batsmen as his victims, the second in the list are Australian batsmen as they have succumbed to the lanky pacer on 104 occasions. Anderson has taken 83 wickets against South Africa, 87 against West Indies and 73 against Pakistan.

Notably, 384 of the 600 wickets taken by James Anderson have come while playing in home conditions in England. Australia is the only place where Anderson has been successful in taking more than 50 wickets. He has 60 victims from 18 matches Down Under. In India, James Anderson has taken 26 wickets in 10 matches.

James Anderson has joint second-highest, 29 five-wicket hauls amongst pacers in his Test career now. Glenn McGrath had finished with 29 five-fors, while legenday New Zealand pacer Richard Hadlee took 36 five-wicket hauls in his 86-match Test career. Also, the pacer, who has expressed his desire to continue till Ashes 2021, has 3 ten-wicket hauls to his name.

Glenn McGrath (563), Courtney Walsh (519) and compatriot and bowling partner Stuart Broad (511) are the only three other pacer with more than 500 Test scalps.

Notably, no England bowler apart from James Anderson and Stuart Broad have more than 383 Test wickets for England.