DHARAMSALA: England’s pace bowler James Anderson claimed his 700th wicket in Test cricket during the fifth Test against India here on Saturday.
The 41-year-old pacer got Kuldeep Yadav caught behind on the third day to reach the elusive milestone and became only the third bowler to do so.
He is also the first pacer to take 700 Test wickets, only behind spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) of Sri Lanka and the late Shane Warne (708 wickets) of Australia.
Anderson started the series with 10 wickets away from the coveted landmark and acheived the feat in his 187th Test. Meanwhile, Muralitharan took 113 Test matches.
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The pacer is currently the oldest active player in international cricket, making his debut in 2003 against Zimbabwe at Lord’s.
He bowled Mark Vermeulen to take his first wicket in Test cricket and has taken 700 wickets at an average under 27 with 32 five-wicket hauls.
Meanwhile, Anderson’s historic 700th wicket was followed by Jasprit Bumrah’s dismissal at the hands of Shoaib Bashir to bowl India at 477.
England, who started their second innings trailing by 259, were 103-5 at lunch on day three at the picturesque Dharamsala stadium.
Ravichandran Ashwin, in his landmark 100th Test, took four wickets including skipper Ben Stokes, who was bowled for two at the stroke of lunch. Joe Root was batting on 34.
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