Some days I wake up & wish I wasn't retiring: Lancs cricket legend Jimmy Anderson's England retirement doubts

The most prolific seamer in Test history is set for a farewell appearance against the West Indies at Lord’s in July, the same month he celebrates his 42nd birthday, as England look towards the future.

While he is mostly able to see the positive side as his international career draws to a close, the Lancastrian revealed he has short-lived thoughts that he could go on for the next decade.

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“In my head I feel like I could play for 10 years,” Anderson said on his BBC Tailenders podcast. “Obviously I realise that is not realistic. Some days I wake up and wish I was not retiring but then 90 per cent of the time I’m happy with it.

“Not many people in sport get the chance to retire from sport at over 40. I’m happy I’ve made it this far.”

Anderson has taken 700 Test wickets, requiring nine more in his final match to overhaul Shane Warne’s tally and move up to second on the all-time list behind Muttiah Muralitharan, who has 800 dismissals.

The decision to retire from Tests was hastened by a discussion with captain Ben Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum and director of England men’s cricket Rob Key at a hotel in April.

Anderson, who has held conversations about remaining with England this summer in a backroom capacity, clarified that initial reports he spoke to McCullum over a round of golf were incorrect.

However, speculation about his future in recent years has proved onerous for Anderson, who is yet to decide whether he will continue his career with Lancashire, where he has an end named after him.

“There’s probably been two or three moments on the field, if the opposition are 500 for three, I’ll be thinking, ‘do I really want to still be doing this?'” he said. “They are fleeting thoughts – nothing that has stuck with me for more than an over.

“I don’t know how much of that was me and how much it was the external noise that comes with ageing. For the last six years, or even longer, it’s been, ‘how long can you go on for?’

“That in itself, certainly for the last couple of years, has been quite draining.”