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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Matthew Cooper

James Anderson leaves Sky Sports pundits in stitches with Nasser Hussain response

England legend James Anderson left the entire Sky Sports punditry team in stitches after comparing Nasser Hussain's captaincy to Ben Stokes.

Hussain gave Anderson his international debut in an ODI against Australia in 2002 and was also captain when he made his Test debut the following year against Zimbabwe. 20 years later, Anderson has represented England on 390 occasions across all formats and is the third-highest Test wicket taker of all time with 675.

And at 40-years-old, Anderson believes he "could carry on for a number of years" as he is enjoying playing under Stokes' captaincy so much, joking to Hussain that he's "not sure I'd still be going" if he was still his captain.

"He's been fantastic," Anderson said when asked by Hussain about Stokes's leadership. "He's someone who has got so much positivity every day when you turn up, whether it's during the game or before the game.

"We came to practice yesterday, day before a Test match, and he wants us to do a six hitting competition. I actually got one across the ropes which is incredible!

"He wants us to have fun, he wants us to enjoy the time we are having together playing this exciting brand of cricket. The attacking mindset he's got in the field the whole time, for me who's been around for 20 years, is making me think differently about the game.

"I am finding it really exciting. It's worked out brilliantly and I'm really enjoying it. I think if I still had the same captain I had back then I'm not sure I'd still be going!

"It has been a breath of fresh air, I feel like I could carry on for a number of years in this regime. Just enjoying every moment."

And after ex-England batter Mark Butcher asked him to elaborate on the differences between Stokes and Hussain, Anderson broke down into laughter before leaving the Sky pundits in stitches.

"They're just slightly different styles," was Anderson's tongue-in-cheek response. "Nasser was a bit more... what's the word I'm looking for? There's a bit more intensity on the field with Nass, not quite the relaxed environment around the group."

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