Very good chance of Stuart Broad overtaking my wicket tally, states James Anderson

After finishing Day 3 of the third Test at Old Trafford on 499 Test wickets, England pacer Stuart Broad had to wait for one full day to reach the coveted 500-wicket mark, but he did so in style on the morning of Day 5 by trapping Windies opener Kraigg Brathwaite plumb in front of the stumps. Broad, who was named Man of the Series versus the Windies for his incredible performance with the ball, where he took a remarkable 16 wickets at an average of 10.93, became just the second Englishman and the fourth pacer overall to reach the 500-wicket milestone, having gotten to the landmark on his 140th Test.

However, the right-armer’s partner-in-crime James Anderson is of the opinion that there is every chance for Broad to overtake his own tally of 589 wickets and added that either of them are ‘not fussed’ one bit by the wickets tally.

"The way he has bowled the past two games has been phenomenal, and an absolute credit to himself and the work he's put in over the past few years," Anderson told Sky Sports, reported TOI.

"I don't think either of us are that fussed by the wickets tally. What we enjoy doing is winning games and celebrating those moments together. We love bowling together in Tests, we have a really good understanding and bowl well when the other guy is at the other end.

"There's a very good chance he will get more wickets than me if he carries on like this. I heard him say the other day why can't he carry on until he's my age, and that's absolutely true. He's in great shape. He can go on and get as many wickets as he wants.”

Broad was, incidentally, dropped for the first Test in Southampton, after which he gave a fiery interview claiming that he was angry and frustrated, but made his value known in the last two, where he picked up a total of 16 wickets, including a 10-wicket haul in the final Test at Old Trafford. Anderson, who himself was rested for the second Test of the series, stated that Broad proved a point to everyone through his performances and added that he even observed Broad getting back the outswinger to the right-hander. 

"He's now getting the ball to shape away again, and we've seen how lethal he is with that wobble seam that nips back. Obviously, he was disappointed at Southampton. It felt like he's had a real point to prove, and he has proved that,” said the veteran. 

Broad, meanwhile, himself stated that he would love to surpass Anderson’s tally and claimed that he wouldn’t ‘rule out’ getting to the 600-wicket mark if he continues to bowl the way he’s currently bowling.

"I've never even thought about that. (But) why not try and follow in Jimmy's footsteps? He's been wonderful to play with.If I keep bowling the way I am for the next few years then I wouldn't rule anything out,” Broad said. 

The 34-year-old also cast his doubts over whether many bowlers, especially pacers, in the coming years, would reach the decorated 500-wicket mark, purely due to the fact that it would require them to play an absurd number of Test matches. 

"You need a lot of Test matches to get 500 wickets. I think there'll be people who have the talent to get the numbers but whether they'll be able to play the amount of Test cricket the seam bowlers have to get that feat remains to be seen.”