Anderson, who is less than two months shy of 41, is just 15 wickets short of breaking the 700-wicket mark, and the Ashes, starting June 16 in Birmingham, is a great opportunity for him to become the home team’s leading bowler again and lead the team to victory after an 0-4 loss in Australia two years ago.

Root, who captained England during the 2021 tour of Australia, posted a collage of five images of Anderson, from his early days with England in the 2000s to what he will look like in two decades – all salt and pepper, gray beard, wrinkled face, but still celebrating a Test wicket on the field.

He keeps getting better and better. Can’t wait for the next 20 @jimmy9, Root tweeted.

Root, one of the greatest modern day batters, made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals this season, entering the squad in three matches. He barely had a chance to bat as the team under Sanju Samson was manned by top batsmen, including Yashaswi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler and the captain himself, among others.

The 32-year-old will be an integral part of the England team that seeks to win the Ashes Series under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brandon McCullum, whose aggressive and positive style of play, baseball, has become a new phase in Test cricket.

Anderson ranks third on the all-time best wicket-taking list, only beaten by former Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) and the late Australian wizard Shane Warne (708).

Anderson recently suffered a minor groin injury while playing for Lancashire against Somerset in the County Championship, but he should be fit by the Ashes. The veteran fastballer said he is unlikely to play in all five of Ash’s games.

I think three tests, not just for myself — if you told any of the bowlers that three out of five, I think that would be more realistic, more reasonable. If four, then fine, the British media quoted Anderson as saying.