Experienced England fast bowler James Anderson has disclosed an intriguing encounter with Kuldeep Yadav, wherein Yadav had a premonition about becoming Anderson's 700th Test wicket during the fifth and final Test against India in Dharamsala.
Anderson achieved the milestone of 700 Test wickets on March 9, making him the first paceman and the third bowler overall to reach this remarkable feat. His landmark scalp was none other than Yadav himself, during Anderson's 187th Test appearance.
Recalling the moment, Anderson shared, "Kuldeep edged one down to third man for a single. As he reached the non-striker’s end, and while I was walking back to my mark, he casually remarked, 'I’m going to be your 700th wicket'." Anderson added that Yadav wasn't implying any intention to get out, but rather expressed a feeling he had. The exchange was met with laughter between the two players.
Despite the personal achievement, Anderson admitted that the occasion would have been more satisfying had England emerged victorious in the series, which they ultimately lost 1-4.
"I didn’t celebrate; there wasn’t much to celebrate. While achieving the milestone on a picturesque ground was nice, the moment would have been more enjoyable if we had clinched the series," remarked the 41-year-old pacer.
Highlighting his focus on team success over personal milestones, Anderson emphasized, "I don’t play cricket for milestones; I play cricket to win matches for my team."
Reflecting on the tour, despite the disappointing series result, Anderson expressed optimism, noting the positives gained. "I really enjoyed this tour. Although the results weren’t in our favor, we remained cohesive as a group. It was a learning experience for some of the young spinners and batters who will undoubtedly benefit from this tour," he concluded.
