James Anderson unlikely to get fit it in time for the tour of Bangladesh

The English team is all set to tour Bangladesh after early doubts on who would agree and who would not. Apart from opener Alex Hales all the members of the Test squad were willing to fly down to Bangladesh for the 2-Test series which will be the best chance for them to prepare ahead of the testing tour of India. In what could be a major blow to England and their plans pace bowling spearhead James Anderson looks unlikely to recover in time from the shoulder injury he had suffered during the Test series against Pakistan.

The Guardian reported that Anderson underwent scans which suggest that he still requires time to recover from the stress fracture to his right shoulder blade which forced him to sit out of the Lord’s Test against Pakistan.

The team management is also doing its bit to ensure they have a replacement ready in case Anderson has to pull out. Nottinghamshire seam bowler Jake Ball who is a part of the ODI squad is asked to stay back for the Tests in case the 34-year old doesn’t make it.

He hasn’t played a competitive cricket match since the Pakistan series that concluded in August and if he misses out the Bangladesh tour, he will fly to India for the 5-Test series without any match practice in almost 3 months.

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Last week while talking about his fitness and how he needs to be extra careful now given that he is moving towards the wrong side of the age Anderson had said, “It’s a tough one because as a player, if you’re fit, you want to play, simple as that. No matter what the format, you’re desperate to play,”

“But there may well come a time when it will get managed. At 34, I probably have to manage myself, or be managed, quite well. You want, if possible, to play every Test but India is going to be five back-to-back and that’s a huge ask for any bowler.”

The Bangladesh vs England Test starts with the first game at Chittagong on October 20 whereas the tour of India kick starts with the Rajkot Test on November 9.

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