Legendary England fast bowler James Anderson is likely to announce his retirement from professional cricket after 26 years as Lancashire has decided not to offer him a contract after the end of the 2026 season. He bid adieu to international cricket after the Lord’s Test against the West Indies in 2024. However, he continued playing domestic cricket and also represented the Manchester Originals in The Hundred in 2025.

He not only led the team’s pace attack but was also the skipper of the side for the second half of the 2025 season and the 2026 campaign. However, Lancashire struggled and couldn’t challenge the rivals.

The disappointing results led to changes, with Richard Kenyon becoming the new chief executive and Paul Farbrace as director of cricket. The new decision-makers have decided against giving the 44-year-old a new contract.

In 11 matches of the 2026 County Championship, Anderson took 50 wickets at an average of 17.68.

Anderson is not looking for new options and is ready to quit the sport.

In 315 first-class matches since playing his first game for Lancashire in 2002, Anderson claimed 1193 wickets. This includes 704 wickets in 188 Tests for England, making him the fast bowler with the most wickets in red-ball cricket in the international arena.

In 261 List A matches, Anderson picked up 358 wickets, including 269 scalps in one-day internationals. He was part of 19 T20Is for England and claimed 18 wickets. Overall, he dismissed 71 batters in 63 T20 games.