More than two decades back, James Anderson's debut was almost perfect.
He got to keep the ball of his first Test with a five-wicket haul and put his name on the honour's board at Lord's – the mecca of the game.
Twenty-one years or more later, it is the perfect start. It was as if the chosen one arrived at the temple without even knowing what would go on to achieve.
Statistically, Anderson is already the greatest-ever pacer. He is the only pacer in the history of this sport to have taken 700 wickets and played 188 Tests—an astronomical figure for anyone, unforeseen and incomprehensible for a fast bowler.
One look at the numbers and anyone will be in awe. Those numbers, though, will never be able to capture his genius.
Anderson manipulated the swing in an unforeseen way, and the accuracy is probably reflected in the numbers, if not totally.
Many say that to Sachin Tendulkar, batting was a prayer. If the art of swinging the ball just enough to get the edge were one, Anderson would be the pope.
The English bowler was less box office than his partner-in-crime, Stuart Broad, probably because Anderson was a craftsman. He moved the ball subtly, just enough to keep the batter confused about whether it was coming in or going away, that too with impeccable length.
Anderson, on any condition that allows the ball to swing even a bit, was similar to transparent sculptures – you wonder how the sculptor did that, but that immediately gets out of your head in awe of how brilliant the output is.
The even more appreciable part of Anderson's career is how he has fared in his latter years.
Their form is expected to wane as the Pacers age, and they will play fewer matches. Anderson's legend only grew after he turned 30.
Since August 1, 2012, a day after Anderson turned 30, he has played 116 Tests, picking up 432 wickets. If he had started his career that day, he would still have finished 12th among the highest wicket-takers in Test history.
In that period, he averaged 24.13 and had a strike rate of 56.3—both lower than his career average and before he passed the three-decade mark.
And in this period, he also disproved the point of his inability to do it without the cloudy skies of England. He averaged 30.55 in India, 18.50 in Pakistan, and 21.57 in Sri Lanka – conditions considered difficult for overseas bowlers. And he still managed to do it well.
As he is set to call time at Lord's in July against the West Indies, creating a full circle, many questions come to mind.
'It's been an incredible 20 years representing my country, playing the game I've loved since I was a kid. I'm going to miss walking out for England so much. But I know the time is right to step aside and let others realise their dreams just like I got to because there is no greater feeling,' Anderson wrote, announcing his retirement.
The biggest, though, is what England will do when their greatest finally calls it a day. And cricket fans will ask, who will take the mantle to amaze them with the red cherry?
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