James Anderson has come to terms with the reality of his retirement.

James Anderson believes he’s currently bowling as well as he ever has and feels he “could still contribute” as he prepares to end his illustrious international career at Lord’s with his 188th and final Test match this week. The legendary fast bowler, who turns 42 at the end of this month, enters the concluding game against the West Indies with the best individual bowling figures of this County Championship season, having taken 7 for 35 in the first innings for Lancashire against Nottinghamshire in his first competitive game since the Dharamsala Test in early March.

“I still feel as fit as I ever have, like I’m bowling as well as I ever have. I still think I could do a job,” Anderson said on Monday (July 8), two days before the Test. “But at the same time, I understand that it has to end at some point. The fact that it now is just something I’ve got to deal with and accept.”

When asked if he could have continued playing, Anderson added: “It’s difficult to say. I’ve not really got a choice.”

The veteran bowler, who made his Test debut under Nasser Hussain in 2003 at this very venue, was prompted to retire following an appraisal meeting in a Manchester hotel with Ben Stokes (Test captain), Brendon McCullum (coach), and Rob Key (ECB’s Director of Cricket) in May. In that meeting, the trio informed Anderson that they planned on selecting fast bowlers likely to feature in the 2025 winter Ashes tour of Australia. Before that meeting, Anderson said he hadn’t thought about how he’d end his England career.

“I wouldn’t say it was a surprise because when the three big dogs invited me to a hotel in Manchester for a chat, I didn’t think it was just a normal appraisal,” he said. “I had a suspicion that that was going to be the case. I think they were surprised at how calm I was, and I was probably surprised at my reaction. I wasn’t overly emotional or angry about it.

“I saw their point of view and appreciated them taking the time to lay it out for me. Since then, I’ve come to terms with it and made peace with that decision. I’m just looking forward to one more game and then see what’s ahead.”

After this farewell Test, Anderson will take on a mentoring role for the rest of the summer before deciding whether to continue playing first-class cricket for Lancashire or transition into a more permanent coaching role on the winter tours of Pakistan and New Zealand. “That’s way too far ahead,” he said. “We’ll just see how these next two months go. I think they want to see if I’m any good at it, whether I fit into what they want from a coaching group, and then I’ll see if I enjoy it.

“Coming off the back of seven-for last week, obviously, I feel like I’m still bowling as well as I ever have. If I feel like I can still contribute to Lancashire or they need me, then I’m sure that’s a conversation we’ll have in the next few months.”

England’s bowling line-up will be in a transition phase by the end of the series. Surrey’s Gus Atkinson might make his Test debut at Lord’s, while Nottinghamshire’s Dillon Pennington could also get an opportunity. Before Anderson, their record wicket-taker, England also saw Stuart Broad retire in the previous home Test about a year ago. Broad had a memorable farewell at The Oval, hitting his last ball for six and taking a wicket with his final delivery in an Ashes Test win. Anderson acknowledged that exit would be challenging to “live up to.”

“I’m trying not to think too much about the game itself yet, or how I’d feel about it,” he said. “The big thing for me this week is wanting to play well, bowl well, and get a win. I’m sure the emotions during the week will change, but right now that’s what I’m trying to focus on to stop myself from crying.”