England legend James Anderson has refused to rule out the prospect of making one more Ashes tour of Australia, despite the fact he will be 43 years old when the 2025-26 series begins.
Anderson has enjoyed remarkable longevity and is the most successful seamer in the history of Test cricket, having picked up 329 wickets in 177 appearances. Only India legend Sachin Tendulkar has played more Tests than Anderson and, having taken 18 wickets at 17.44 since turning 40, he is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.
"The way to do it is definitely not to look too far ahead," Anderson said when asked how long he plans to keep playing for at the relaunch of his BBC podcast Tailenders, which he co-hosts alongside BBC Radio One DJ Greg James and former Maccabees guitarist Felix White.
"Australia away feels miles away but I just need to look after myself, bowl well and take wickets and it might creep up on me and I'll think, 'I can do another away Ashes'. Or it might creep up and I'll say, 'No, that's stupid'.
"It's nice to be in this group and still feel wanted which is what any player needs. As long as that feeling is still there and I have the hunger, which I have, I'll keep going."
Anderson is currently preparing for England's two-Test series against New Zealand next month, before turning his attention to this summer's Ashes which will begin in June after a one-off Test against Ireland at Lord's.
And Anderson says he feels "reinvigorated" by the new positive and aggressive brand of cricket England are playing under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, adding: "It's exciting to be in this team. Whoever we play it's going to be fun, we're going to give it a good crack and Australia in the summer could just be incredible.
"I can't see them doing anything but going toe-to-toe to be honest. I think they're going to fight fire with fire and that's going to make it so explosive and exciting.
"There is something wrong with you as a player if you didn't enjoy this way we're playing. It's constantly thinking and talking about the game in a positive way so, yes, it has reinvigorated me."
