'I don’t play cricket to get personal milestones' - James Anderson did not celebrate after claiming 700 Test wickets

In an extraordinary accomplishment that solidified his status among the finest bowlers, England's James Anderson became only the third player in cricket history to attain the exceptional feat of scalping 700 Test wickets. However, the 41-year-old seamer was in no mood to celebrate this historic landmark, as it came during England's 4-1 series defeat in India.

Anderson's 700th Test wicket materialized when he dismissed India's Kuldeep Yadav on Day 3 of the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala. With this wicket, he joined an elite club containing spin wizards Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) and Late Shane Warne (708 wickets). However, the legendary pacer did not show any zeal to celebrate the landmark as he felt that had England won the Test match, he would have felt like celebrating the occasion. Besides, he just had a beer with his father. Incredibly, Anderson is now just nine wickets shy from surpassing Warne as the second-highest wicket-taker in Test history.

Furthermore, James Anderson reflected on his achievement and also shed some light on what he really thought, unlike what other people perceive it to be. Anderson made it amply clear that he has never played cricket with  personal milestones in sight. He was always about winning games for England. As he approaches the end of his illustrious career, Anderson's focus remains firmly on contributing to England's success on the field.

“I don’t play cricket to get personal milestones, I guess. I want to win games. I love playing a team sport, that’s when I get the biggest buzz. So I’m a little flat because we lost 4-1 in the series,” the 41-year-old continued.

Also read: James Anderson reveals heated chat with Shubman Gill during Dharamshala Test

My place in the team is not a given, so I’ve got to work hard to prove I’m worth: Anderson

While fans have lauded James Anderson's record as one that may never be surpassed, at least in the near future, comparing it to Don Bradman's iconic 99.94 batting average, the bowler remained unaffected by such comparisons, calling it as irrelevant as he does not get any benefit out of what others had to think. But, he certainly seemed excited about the upcoming cricket summer and also believed that he was currently in the best shape of his life in terms of fitness.

Also Read: ECB honours James Anderson with special painting for his 700th wicket feat, pacer shares his hilarious reaction

Despite his remarkable achievements, Anderson's hunger and drive remain constant, as he acknowledged the need to perpetually prove his worth. In what was a rather frank admittance, the swing king blatantly said that neither is his place in the England squad permanent, nor did he take his stature in the team for granted.

“I’m not getting any worse. I like where my game is at and I still have that enjoyment of turning up every day and trying to get better in the nets. My place in the team is not a given, so I’ve got to work hard to prove I’m worth a place in the summer,” Anderson concluded.