James Anderson: England skipper Ben Stokes is the best captain I've played under

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James Anderson of England (R) celebrates with Joe Root, Ollie Robinson and Ben Stokes aft dismissing Keegan Petersen of South Africa during Day Four of the Third LV= Insurance Test Match betwixt England and South Africa astatine The Kia Oval connected September 11, 2022 successful London, England.

England bowler James Anderson says "born leader" Ben Stokes is the champion skipper helium has played nether successful his 23-year career.

Anderson has been captained by Ashes winners Michael Vaughan, Sir Andrew Strauss and Sir Alastair Cook since earning his archetypal Test headdress successful 2003.

Stokes replaced Joe Root arsenic England Test skipper past summertime and has won 10 of his archetypal 12 games successful charge.

"I deliberation he's been spot connected truthful far," said Anderson.

"I can't responsibility thing really. I deliberation everyone knew that helium was a leader, the mode helium trains, whether it's the gym oregon whether it's catching oregon batting oregon bowling - the mode helium goes astir his business, helium is the eventual professional.

"The mode helium plays, helium leaves everything retired there. So he's a calved leader."

Asked if Stokes was the champion skipper helium had played under, Anderson paused for a infinitesimal earlier answering: "Yeah. It is hard to accidental implicit a abbreviated play of clip but he's had an astonishing start.

"I deliberation helium is wholly antithetic from immoderate skipper I've ever played with earlier and I've truly enjoyed it.

"For me, it's the finer details, not conscionable connected the tract wherever his tactical nous has been spot on, but besides his affectional quality disconnected the tract and however helium talks to everyone successful the group.

"If helium needs to enactment his limb astir idiosyncratic oregon occurrence idiosyncratic up, he's conscionable got a truly bully mode of doing that. And the mode helium speaks to the radical arsenic good is excellent. So I've been truly impressed."

Playing 'three oregon 4 retired of five' Tests is realistic

The Ashes 2023: James Anderson connected upcoming Test bid against Australia

Having excelled playing a bold and expansive benignant of play nether Stokes and caput manager Brendon McCullum, England instrumentality connected Australia this summertime aiming for a archetypal Ashes bid triumph since 2015.

Despite sustaining a mild groin strain playing for Lancashire successful the County Championship past week, Anderson expects to beryllium afloat acceptable for the archetypal Test astatine Edgbaston connected 16 June.

However, with 5 Ashes Tests successful small much than six weeks, the 40-year-old expects determination to beryllium immoderate rotation among the bowlers during the series.

"I deliberation playing each 5 is simply a small spot optimistic," helium said. "I deliberation three, not conscionable for myself - if you said to immoderate of the bowlers 3 retired of five, I deliberation that's astir apt much realistic, much sensible. If it's 4 past great.

"The happening is, you've got to instrumentality it crippled by game. If we're bowling 250 overs successful the tract successful 5 days past you're astir apt going to person a rest. There could beryllium rain, we could vessel them retired cheaply.

"You've got to play it by ear. But yeah, realistically, 3 oregon 4 retired of 5 would beryllium much realistic than five."

Regardless of however galore matches helium plays, Anderson is assured that if England are astatine their best, they tin reclaim the urn that has been successful Australian hands since 2017-18.

England's starring wicket-taker added: "It's reasonably relaxed, we're trying to bask ourselves, we're trying to entertain people, instrumentality the affirmative option.

"If you look astatine our team, if we play to the champion of our quality with that mindset, I don't deliberation anyone tin header with us. So yes, I deliberation we tin win. "