A right-arm fast swing bowler, Anderson made his international debut at the end of 2002 during England's winter tour of Australia, then played his first Test match against Zimbabwe when the team toured England the following summer. Subsequently, he has played for his country in more than 160 Test matches, becoming the most capped player for England in Test cricket. He has also played nearly 200 One Day Internationals. His early career was held back by injuries, including a stress fracture of the back which kept him out of action for most of the 2006 season, but thereafter he established himself as the key opening bowler in the England Test team. He was a regular strike bowler with the national one-day side, but has not participated in the shorter format of the game at international level since the 2015 World Cup.