Despite turning 41 on Saturday and having taken only four wickets in the series, Anderson remains determined and has no plans to retire. Stokes expressed his confidence in Anderson's abilities, acknowledging that although he might not have had the desired impact in this series, he is still a quality bowler.

Stokes drew parallels between Anderson's situation and that of a batsman, stating that if the team's leading run-scorer, Joe Root, had not performed as expected, no one would question his place in the team. He emphasized that James Anderson's status as the greatest fast bowler in the game remains undoubted, and he still looks as impressive as he did two years ago.

Stokes believes that Anderson is a class apart

"Although he's not had the impact he would have liked to in this series, he's a quality bowler," said Stokes.

"It's very hard for anyone to sit here and say he's not. Jimmy's come under a bit of flak for that but if Joe Root hadn't scored the runs he would have liked, you wouldn't be questioning him staying in the team as a batter.

"James Anderson is the greatest fast bowler to play the game and he's still looking as good as he was two years ago."

With an impressive 689 wickets in Test cricket, Anderson holds the record as England's all-time leading wicket-taker. However, one peculiar aspect of his illustrious career is his recent record against Australia, where he has not been part of a Test win against England's oldest rivals since 2015.

Throughout this series, the Australian team has employed a tactic of seeing off Anderson, which has proven successful, mirroring the approach used by England against Australia during the Ashes series in Australia.

As the final Ashes Test approaches, Anderson's commitment and prowess on the field continue to be respected by his teammates and opponents alike, solidifying his position as a true great in the world of fast bowling.

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