‘He Was Forced Out’: Ex-ENG Batter Takes Issue With ECB, Coach McCullum on Anderson’s Retirement

One of the legendary batters, James Anderson, recently announced his retirement from International cricket. The bowling veteran and one of the greatest to ever do it played his final Test match at Lord's when England faced off against West Indies. Anderson ended his run in International cricket with eyes full of emotions as he capped off a stellar run. While a lot of congratulatory messages have poured in, a couple of them have also taken issue with the way the fast bowler had to retire. A former English batter is unhappy with how the situation panned out.

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Former ENG batter alleges ECB, McCullum forced James Anderson to retire

Former England batsman David Lloyd asserts that the England Cricket Board and head coach Brendon McCullum pressured pacer James Anderson to step down. Citing his personal experience, he demonstrated how people in this day are being prevented from performing owing to their age.

"So, it's farewell to one of the greatest. The sad thing about Jimmy Anderson's departure is that he's bowling as well as ever. Accuracy, pace, stamina - he's shown all those qualities and he's still taking wickets.

"They say they are moving him on with next year's Ashes in mind. I say, pick your best team. He was forced out because of his age. In this era of inclusivity, it takes the biscuit that someone has been stopped for that reason. Reader, let me tell you: I know the feeling. Inclusivity, my arse," Lloyd wrote in his column for DailyMail.

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For James Anderson, it couldn't have been a better farewell than what he received at Lord's after winning the first Test match of the series against West Indies. However, given his performance, it looked like he still had a lot of gas left in the tank. Coach McCullum allegedly took the step in order to open paths for the new talent to join the Three Lions. If his performance against India was an example, James still has it to function in a particular format for a couple of years.