‘It reminded me of Flintoff in 2005’: The James Anderson spell that set up a famous victory

Anderson removed Shuman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane in the space three deliveries in echoes of one of the most famous overs of all, writes Vithushan Ehantharajah

James Anderson celebrates the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane (BCCI)

“It reminded me of Flintoff in 2005,” beamed Joe Root. “The impact of that over to Ponting and Langer. In the context of this game it was huge.”

It was high but deserved praised dished out by the England captain after victory in the first Test set up by a James Anderson spell that ranks alongside that famous Ashes one 16 years ago as one of the very best.

Andrew Flintoff’s over to remove Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting at Edgbaston in 2005 remains one of the most revered and remembered among England fans. Right down to the no ball which allowed Flintoff to find Ponting’s outside edge with the seventh delivery.

There was no over-stepping or bowler errors of any kind from James Anderson on Tuesday in Chennai when he bowled his first over of day five. Combining reverse swing with unerring accuracy, he produced a double-wicket maiden, taking out the off stumps of Shuman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane in three deliveries - with a close LBW shout in between – to reduce India to 92 for four. It was part of a wider three for 17 that helped England achieve a momentous 227-run win to go 1-0 up in the four-match series.

The importance of this opening salvo was its immediacy. With short spells for quicks in the subcontinent due to the heat, there is little time to get into your work. So for Anderson to start so perfectly - Gill, on 50, removed with his second delivery - especially with reverse swing in play for only so long before the ball goes soft, heightens its worth.

Remarkably, the 38-year-old thought little of it.

“I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary from the plans that we had,” said Anderson, a thought not many would agree with. “Just got lucky really, with a couple that hit the bare patches, and had a bit of reverse as well.

“We knew that we just have to keep hitting up those areas as much as possible and hopefully we could get a couple to keep low or deviate. We got three or four throughout the day to do that, so a bit of luck involved as well but happy with how it went.”

He did admit to the thrill of seeing timber fly. “It doesn’t happen very often at my age,” he joked. The third was just as flashy, more so for the batsman, Rishahb Pant, who blitzed England for 91 in the first innings, rather than the manner – caught at cover by Root – though with enough action on the ball to force the error.

Along with two for 46 in the first innings, that is now 11 dismissals in two matches in the subcontinent. The first of those, in January’s series against Sri Lanka, was part of a six-match plan where Anderson and Stuart Broad were to be swapped around as part of a broader rotation plan devised by the England management to preserve their charges through a 2021 schedule of 17 Tests and limited overs commitments.

However, just as Broad did with three for 20 in the first Test against Sri Lanka, Anderson has given the selectors and Root a dilemma. With the second Test in Chennai beginning on Saturday, one imagines the little recovery time would see Broad come into the XI at Anderson’s expense. However, the man of the moment says he is good to continue.

“When a batsman gets in rhythm and form, they want to keep batting and keep that that rhythm going, and it's the same for a bowler,” Anderson said. "You want to keep that going if possible but I'm very aware that we've got four Test matches in quick succession here and there will be probably be a need to rest and rotate, that we talked about before we even got to Sri Lanka.

“So I’m not assuming anything. I'm just trying to rest and recover from this game as best I can, in the next day or two, and then get back in the nets in time to put my name in the hat for Saturday and see what happens.”

He also saved special mention for his captain, who marshalled his team through a note-perfect five days for a sixth successive away victory. Root took charge to set the win up with a majestic 218 in the first innings of 578, and went on to score 40 in the second while marshalling bowlers and fielders with aplomb.

“He gets better and better every game,” praised Anderson. “You can say that with the bat as well, watching him play. But certainly on the field, with his captaincy, he has improved every game he has led. He has worked so hard at it. He thinks a lot about the game.

“He just grows with every game he is out there. We are very lucky to have him and yeah, he is very much up there for me as one of the best.”