England’s legendary fast bowler James Anderson was officially knighted at a prestigious ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, October 28. The 43-year-old pacer received the honor from Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, in recognition of his monumental contributions to the sport over a remarkable 22-year career.
At the inauguration ceremony, Anderson was joined by his wife Daniella and their two daughters, Lola and Ruby. The event celebrated not only his cricketing milestones but also his personal journey, from making his Test debut at Lord’s in 2003 to concluding his legendary career at the same ground two decades later.
James Anderson’s achievements in international cricket
James Anderson, who retired from Test cricket at Lord’s in July 2024, ended his international career as England’s all-time leading wicket-taker with 704 Test wickets in 188 matches. This makes him the most successful fast bowler in Test history, trailing only spin legends Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) and Shane Warne (708 wickets) in the overall list. Anderson also holds the English record for most wickets in One Day Internationals (269), despite playing his last white-ball match in 2015.
Knighthood: a fitting tribute to English cricketers
The knighthood awarded to Anderson is one of the highest civilian honors in Britain, honoring his exceptional achievements and services to cricket. He was previously named to former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s roll of honor in 2025, becoming the only athlete to be recognised. Sir James Anderson joins an elite group of cricketing icons including Sir Ian Botham, Sir Geoffrey Boycott, Sir Alastair Cook and Sir Andrew Strauss.
The honor not only recognizes his statistical milestones, but also recognizes his contributions as a mentor, leader and ambassador of the game, inspiring countless cricketers with his professionalism and passion.
Also READ: James Anderson picks the two fastest bowlers he has ever seen in world cricket
Complete list of English cricketers awarded knighthoods
| Name | Year of Knighthood |
|---|---|
| Francis Lacey | 1926 |
| Frederik Toone | 1929 |
| Pelham Warner | 1937 |
| John Hobbs | 1953 |
| Henry Leveson Gower | 1953 |
| Leonard Hutton | 1956 |
| Neville Thistle | 1967 |
| Gubby Allen | 1986 |
| Colin Cowdrey | 1992 |
| Alec Bedser | 1996 |
| Ian Botham | 2007 |
| Alastair Cook | 2019 |
| Boycott of Geoffrey | 2019 |
| Andreas Strauss | 2019 |
| James Anderson | 2025 |
Also READ: “He is very rude to me…” – KL Rahul jokingly complains to Kevin Pietersen’s wife
#Complete #list #English #cricketers #awarded #knighthood #James #Anderson