Age is just a number, they say! And, England pacer James Anderson is the poster boy of that cliche. On Tuesday, the champion fast bowler once again displayed just why he is a master and an absolute artist when it comes to swinging a cricket ball- conventional or reverse.

The artist was in his element on the decisive day of the first Test against India as he schooled the home side’s top-order with an absolute masterclass when it comes to reverse-swing.

And, it came at a time when India, despite having lost Cheteshwar Pujara, earlier in the day, were motoring along.

Shubman Gill has just notched up his third half-century and he was looking at ease against the likes of Dom Bess. Skipper Virat Kohli was beginning to settle in.

James AndersonJames Anderson [Image Credit: Twitter]So, what does Joe Root do? He turns to his senior fast bowler to conjure a bit of magic. What follows within the space of the next five deliveries will surely go down as one of James Anderson’s greatest-ever moments in his long and storied career.

Anderson first gets rids of rookie opener Shubman Gill. He exploits the gap between Gill’s bat and pad with surgical precision by firing in a wicked inswinger. As a result, the stumps went for a cartwheel and one could see how much the champion pacer enjoyed the wicket.

James Anderson, Ajinkya RahaneJames Anderson cleans up Ajinkya Rahane. (Photo: BCCI)

Out walked Ajinkya Rahane. Anderson had smelled blood. And, he was ready to prey on yet another batsman. And, he did that by nearly dismissing the Indian vice-captain twice in successive deliveries.

He fired in yet another reverse-swinging in-swinger. The ball kept low and it pinned Rahane right in front of wickets. The England team went up in unison but Umpire Menon adjudged it not out. Root immediately went for the review but the ‘Umpires Call’ saved Rahane.

However, when you can send the stumps for a cartwheel and that is exactly what James Anderson did on the very next delivery to decisively turn the game in his side’s favor.

He wasn’t done yet as he claimed the prized scalp of Rishabh Pant in the following overs to hammer another nail in India’s coffin.

Also Read: Watch: James Anderson Clean Bowls Ajinkya Rahane For A Duck With A Ripper Of An Inswinger

Here’s how Twitter reacted to James Anderson masterclass:

 

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