With the India Test series and the Ashes on the horizon, England's former legendary seamers, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, are offering their insights into the current state of the nation's pace attack. Their assessments come at a crucial time, as England prepares for what many are calling an "era-defining" period in Test cricket.

James Anderson, recently retired after an illustrious career of 188 Tests, is now being honored, alongside Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, with the renaming of the India-England Test series to the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Anderson has reflected on his experiences bowling to both Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, noting a distinct "shift in dominance" with Kohli that he didn't feel against Tendulkar. Anderson dismissed Tendulkar nine times and Kohli seven times in his career, recognizing Kohli as the toughest batter he has ever bowled to from the celebrated "Fab Four". Anderson feels India would be happy not to face him in the upcoming series.

Stuart Broad, who retired after the 2023 Ashes series, is also keenly observing the current English bowling landscape. He has voiced concerns about the depth and experience of the seam attack, particularly with injuries to key players. Jofra Archer is ruled out of the first Test due to injury and Mark Wood is also set to miss the India series. Broad worries about the number of overs Chris Woakes has bowled recently, stating that Woakes needs more overs to find his rhythm.

Broad emphasized the pressure on younger players who haven't experienced the "cauldron and intensity" of an India or Australia series. He notes the importance of having experienced heads to guide the team through tough situations, especially when boundaries are leaking.

Both Anderson and Broad's observations highlight key challenges for England. The absence of both veterans leaves a leadership void in the bowling attack, requiring younger players to step up quickly. The series against India, followed by the Ashes, will be a testing ground for these emerging talents. How they perform will determine whether England can maintain its competitiveness in Test cricket.

England will begin their new World Test Championship cycle with a five-match Test series against India, starting June 20, 2025, at Headingley in Leeds.

Broad predicts England to win the series against India 3-1, attributing the edge to home advantage. He acknowledges India will miss the runs and experience of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who both retired from Test cricket earlier this month.