James Anderson in second Test. (Courtesy: BCCI.TV)

England”s veteran Test bowler James Anderson surpassed Lala Amarnath to become the oldest player to appear in a Test match in India on Thursday. After missing out on the first Test, Anderson returned to the second Test in Vizag at the age of 41 years and 187 days. The previous oldest player to appear in a Test match in India was Amarnath at the age of 41 years and 92 days in 1952.

Anderson is appearing in his 184th Test in India. He is the third-highest wicket-taker in Test history behind spin greats Muthiah Muralidaran (800) and Shane Warne (708). The English veteran picked up his 691st scalp in the form of Shubman Gill on Day 1 of the second Test. He is only nine wickets adrift of becoming the only third Test bowler to scalp 700 wickets.

Apart from Anderson and Amarnath, the list of oldest players to appear in Tests in India includes Ray Lindwall (38 years and 112 days) in 1960, Shute Banerjee (37 years and 124 days) in 1960, and Ghulam Guard (34 years and 20 days) in 1960.

Meanwhile, the Englishman also became the fifth oldest player to appear in a Test match. The milestone for the oldest player to appear in a Tests belongs to Zimbabwe”s John Traicos who appeared in a match at the age of 45 years and 304 days. Pakistan”s Amir Elahi (44 years and 105 days), England”s Harry Elliot (45 years and 103 days) and India”s Vinoo Mankad (41 years and 305) days are the other players in the list.

The 41-year-old has been England”s flagbearer in Test bowling. He made his Test debut in May 2023 before his current teammates Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir were born.