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Anderson disappointed to miss out on India tour
England pace spearhead James Anderson is disappointed to miss out on the upcoming tour of India as he wanted to prove his worth in the sub-continent wickets after his below-par performance in the World Cup earlier this year.
Anderson, who was in red-hot form in the just-concluded series between the two sides recently, was rested by the selectors for England's tour of India for a five-match ODI series and a one-off Twenty20 match.
"Of course I was disappointed not to go to India," Anderson was quoted as saying by Daily Mail.
"I didn't have a great World Cup there and I wanted to go back and show I could bowl in those conditions. They said they were thinking of giving me a rest. I said I didn't want one. And they made their decision.
"I remembered first how bad I felt physically at the end of the World Cup and how I was bowling and also what we have on our schedule for next year -- Test series against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa and India and it all made sense," he added.
'Enjoying the team's success'
Anderson knows that the selectors must have taken the decision keeping in mind the interest of the team but said he just wants to be in the thick of things and make up for the time, which he lost because of injury.
"I have no quarrel with the selectors whatsoever because they make their decisions in the best interests of the team. But that doesn't mean I won't miss being involved," he said.
"No one should need extra motivation for playing for England but from a personal perspective I've been through some tough times."Missing a whole year through injury was pretty average and there were doubts about whether I would ever be able to come back and bowl fast. Things did look bleak for a while and it took my wife Daniella to tell me to pull my head out of my backside," Anderson said.
"I'm really enjoying playing at the minute, enjoying the team's success and my personal success but you do recall times when you are injured or not selected and that does spur you on," he added.
'Want to stay on top of my fitness'
The 29-year-old right-arm pacer says he wants to be fit and keep improving to retain his position in the English team.
"I want to stay on top of my fitness to reduce the chances of injury and I want to keep improving as a bowler to keep guys knocking on the door at bay and to keep my spot on the team," Anderson said.
"It is very hard to build up the kind of feeling we have in our dressing room and it is something you want to be part of and to protect, because it can be very easy to lose it," he said.
"The emergence of new players keeps everyone up to their work. But that pressure is a positive thing," he added.
'We want to create a legacy'
Anderson said though he missed out on the opportunity this year, he is looking forward to touring India next year for the Test series and show how good he can bowl.
"We want to create a legacy; we want to stay at No 1 for as long as we can, to be the best England team for a long time, if not ever.
"Sure, I was not happy to miss out on this one-day trip to India. But I'll still have the chance to go back there this time next year for the Test series and show them what I can do in their conditions," he said.
"And if winning there caps a year in which we beat all the others as well, maybe people will believe in our ambition as much as we do," he added.