• Home
  • Cricket News
  • He Will Do Better Than Mark Wood Manjrekar Backs James Anderson To Strengthen England

'He Will Do Better Than Mark Wood': Manjrekar Backs James Anderson to Strengthen England

image-ls3ad5nqJames Anderson returns after missing the first Test

In a massive move ahead of the second Test vs India in Vizag, England announced a significant change to its playing XI, bringing in veteran bowler James Anderson in place of Mark Wood, who struggled in the first Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium by failing to secure any wickets.

Manjrekar predicts Anderson's impact in Vizag Test

This change, as analyzed by cricket commentator Sanjay Manjrekar, is expected to bolster the English bowling lineup, offering a greater challenge to the Indian batsmen. While speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar highlighted Anderson's potential to outperform Wood as he pointed out the added strength the veteran speedster brings to the team's bowling attack.

“There’s no doubt about the fact that he will do a little better than Mark Wood, who went wicketless in the first Test. So, that actually adds to the strength of the English bowling attack,” said Manjrekar.

Anderson, who missed out on England's playing XI in the first Test, holds an impressive record in Tests against India, with 34 wickets in 13 matches played on Indian soil, including two four-wicket hauls. 




His overall tally against India stands at 139 wickets from 35 Tests, featuring six five-wicket hauls. The seasoned bowler is also on the brink of a major career milestone, needing just 10 more wickets to join the elite club of bowlers with 700 or more Test wickets, a feat achieved only by Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan so far.

Notably, England's lineup for the second Test also includes a debut for the young Shoaib Bashir, stepping in for the injured Jack Leach. This change is anticipated to reduce the workload on Joe Root, who, in the absence of Leach, delivered an extensive 48 overs in the first Test.

Manjrekar pointed out the potential impact of Root's bowling duties on his batting performance, suggesting that Bashir's inclusion could provide a strategic advantage to the English side.

“It is also good in a way for England as Joe Root had to shoulder the burden when he bowled 29–30 overs. Whether it had some impact on his batting is something England need to consider,” added the erstwhile cricketer.

Meanwhile, England's victory in the Hyderabad Test by 28 runs has given England a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. With the inclusion of Anderson and Bashir, England will aim to consolidate its position and exert further pressure on the Indian team in the upcoming match at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.