England captain Andrew Strauss has insisted resting James Anderson from the third Test against the West Indies will enable the strike bowler to play more international cricket in the long-run.
England, 2-0 up in the three-match series, have decided now is the time to give Anderson a break with a packed schedule in front of them, and reserve seamers Steven Finn and Graham Onions eager for action.
Anderson, however, has made clear his unhappiness at being rested for the third Test, which starts at Edgbaston here on Thursday.
But Strauss, speaking at the ground on Wednesday, defended the decision.
“Jimmy Anderson has missed out and with good reason. It’s a tough thing for any player not to play in a Test but with this schedule as it is, you have to manage your resources cleverly,” he said.
“The idea of rotating and resting is that they end up playing more, not less. The last thing you want is for someone to be playing to the extent that they’re dead on their feet and get injured and are out for months.”
England’s aim is to make sure Anderson is fully fit for the upcoming Test series against South Africa, where they will put their world No.1 ranking on the line.
But Strauss insisted England were not getting ahead of themselves.
“South Africa is on the horizon but it’s still on the horizon, not right here yet. For us to look too far ahead is generally a little bit dangerous.”
Although they included Stuart Broad in a 12-man squad, Anderson’s new-ball partner and England’s Twenty20 captain could be rested as well if England decided to play both Finn and Onions.
“It’s a possibility he might miss out,” Strauss said.
“When it comes down to selecting a side we do it in the morning (of the match).”
Finn, who has 53 wickets in 13 Tests, and Onions, with 28 in eight, have had to wait patiently for their chance this series.
“It speaks volumes for them the way they have reacted to not playing, and also speaks volumes for the strength in depth we’ve got in our seam bowling resources that guys of that quality are sitting out,” Strauss said.
