Legendary Australian pacer Glenn McGrath has backed James Anderson to break the Indian spin great Anil Kumble’s record after the veteran Englishman overtook him to become the highest wicket taking pacer in the history of the game. 

Anderson achieved the feat during the final day of final Test against India when he took the final wicket of Mohammed Shami to help England win the fifth Test by 118 runs, as well as, the five-match series 4-1 at The Kia Oval on September 11, 2018 (Tuesday).

With 564 wickets, Anderson is now only behind the spin trio of Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708) and Anil Kumble (619) in the list of record Test bowlers.

Now, McGrath would like to see Anderson to take 600 Test wickets and aim to overtake Kumble’s record of 619 Test wickets to break into the top three bowlers in Test cricket history. 

Following the Test match at the Oval, McGrath told BBC, “Just to see Jimmy now, he looks fit and keen and running around, it depends on what he wants to do. He has gone past me and I think the next bar is 600 Test wickets. If he can get to 600 Test wickets, that’s an incredible effort, and if he is still got that drive, that passion to get yourself up, to put the hard work in off the field to carry you through on the field… if he has still got that desire, then he can play as long as he wants.”

Meanwhile, the 36-year-old pacer is at the twilight of his international career, but Aussie great believes that Anderson is not yet finished as he has a lot left in the tank still. 

McGrath signed off by saying, “I think he’s still got little bit left in the tank yet. I’d like to see Jimmy go and get 600 and then whether he wants to try and knock off one of these dodgy spinners that are still at the top of the tree. I think Kumble is about 619. That’s within range.”