Rishi Sunak to include James Anderson for knighthood in his resignation honours list

James Anderson to Receive Knighthood in Rishi Sunak’s Resignation Honours List

James Anderson is set to be knighted in recognition of his extraordinary 21-year international career, after being named in the resignation honours list of former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The 42-year-old retired from England duty in 2024, having claimed a national record of 704 Test wickets across 188 matches—the highest tally by any specialist fast bowler and second only to Sachin Tendulkar in total Tests played. Anderson’s final appearance for England came against the West Indies at Lord’s in July 2024, more than two decades after his debut at the same ground against Zimbabwe in May 2003.

Although he stepped away from white-ball cricket in 2015, Anderson remains England’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs with 269 wickets at an average of 29.22. He also picked up 18 wickets in T20Is, finishing with a remarkable total of 991 international wickets—just shy of the 1,000 mark.

Despite his retirement from international cricket, Anderson has not ended his professional playing career. Currently recovering from a calf injury, he is expected to feature for Lancashire in multiple formats this summer. This mirrors the path of his long-time teammate Sir Alastair Cook, who continued to play for Essex following his own knighthood in 2019.

Reacting to the announcement, ECB Chair Richard Thompson said:
"Congratulations Sir Jimmy Anderson. This is a richly deserved honour for an England legend who has given so much to our sport.
Jimmy's career has been marked by extraordinary achievements, including four Ashes victories and becoming England’s all-time leading wicket-taker. His skill, determination, and sportsmanship have inspired countless cricketers and fans, both in England and around the world. This is fitting recognition for a true world great.”

Sunak, known for his passion for cricket during his tenure, even faced Anderson in the nets at The Oval in April 2024 while launching a £35 million investment into grassroots cricket.

Anderson’s knighthood is among six included in Sunak’s resignation honours list. The other recipients include four of his former cabinet ministers—James Cleverley, Jeremy Hunt, Grant Shapps, and Mel Stride—as well as filmmaker Matthew Vaughn.

The honour had been widely anticipated since Anderson’s retirement. Former England captain Sir Andrew Strauss, who was knighted in 2019, supported the idea ahead of Anderson’s final Test.
"Very much so!" Strauss said at the time. "I think any fast bowler who plays 188 Test matches deserves a knighthood, I'll put it that way."

Anderson becomes the second former England cricketer to be knighted by a departing Conservative prime minister in recent years. In 2019, Theresa May awarded a knighthood to Geoffrey Boycott, a decision that stirred controversy due to Boycott’s 1998 domestic assault conviction in France.

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