Congratulations to James Anderson on becoming the first fast bowler to get 600 Test wickets

[Buffet]

If a batsman scores the most Test runs in history and breaks the 16k barrier, he will deserve to be considered an all-timer in spite of averaging below 50 in several venues.

If there is a tag like ATG at home then yes the likes of Anderson, Jayawardene are ATG at home.

ATG without having to play well in different conditions did exist when only 2 countries used to play cricket. That yardstick is not used anymore.

[Buffet]

If Broad surpasses him he will also deserve to be considered legendary. 600+ wickets for a fast bowler is no joke.

Kapil was the world’s leading wicket-taker but he did not break any barrier. He merely overtook Hadlee.

Anderson is not only the leading wicket-taker but he is also the first fast bowler to reach the remarkable league of 600 wickets. An incredible feat.

History will remember Anderson for being the highest or the second highest wicket-taking fast bowler ever because it is very, very unlikely for any fast bowler in the future to take 600+ Test scalps.

No one in the future will get geeky over his stats and cherry-pick his performances by breaking down his numbers in different countries.

LOL, it's not cherry-picking when you are averaging 33-35 in so many venues. Cherrypicking will be doing so in 1-2 venues and someone pointing it out.

Yes, history will remember first to get 600+ wickets, but that's different than a player with good enough skill to do well outside of the home conditions.

[shaz619]

Going by that Logic why stop at ATG, Anderson is even better than Malcolm Marshall.

He is up there given how his longevity supersedes the career of Malcolm, if all those greats were so perfect and incredible, why did they fail to take 600 wickets ? Anderson is the special one, he is the baap of his critics.

[Hitman]

If Broad surpasses him he will also deserve to be considered legendary. 600+ wickets for a fast bowler is no joke.

Kapil was the world’s leading wicket-taker but he did not break any barrier. He merely overtook Hadlee.

Anderson is not only the leading wicket-taker but he is also the first fast bowler to reach the remarkable league of 600 wickets. An incredible feat.

History will remember Anderson for being the highest or the second highest wicket-taking fast bowler ever because it is very, very unlikely for any fast bowler in the future to take 600+ Test scalps.

No one in the future will get geeky over his stats and cherry-pick his performances by breaking down his numbers in different countries.

You still consider him to be better than Dale Steyn?

[therealAB]

He is up there given how his longevity supersedes the career of Malcolm, if all those greats were so perfect and incredible, why did they fail to take 600 wickets ? Anderson is the special one, he is the baap of his critics.

Maybe because they play more tests?
Walsh played test cricket for as long as Jimmy has for less tests

[ishtiaq_ctg]

An All time great playing minimum amount of games, should average below 25 as a bowler and above 50 as a batsmen. Simple.

[someone21]

Arr, there is a slight issue of McGrath averaging 20-21 when playing away from home. Anderson since 2010 has averaged 27-28 when playing outside of the home.

You can't compare stats of different era. A batsman with +40 average was ATG in 2000s. Now, +40 player is just good batsman.

ATG are those who can't be replaced. There is hardly ever going to such a player of such kind...

[Buffet]

You can't compare stats of different era. A batsman with +40 average was ATG in 2000s.

Not true unless we start calling just good batsmen as an ATG.