England bowling coach James Anderson has linked up with the team in Multan after returning to Pakistan following an adventurous golf outing in Scotland. Anderson missed the pre-series preparation for the ongoing Test series and was not with the side on Day 1 as he was participating in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, a pro-am golf tournament in Scotland. 

England and Anderson came under fire due to the 42-year-old’s decision to prioritise golf but head coach Brendon McCullum defended the call in the lead-up to the Test.

“We live in a world where you can still communicate without being face to face,” McCullum told Sky Sports.

“Two months ago, you guys were saying he didn’t deserve to be the coach. Now we are missing him. That’s affirmation of how good an impact Jimmy Anderson has made in the short period of time [during] his transition from player to coach.”

Anderson, who retired from Test cricket earlier this year at Lord’s, took up the role of a bowling consultant in the set-up immediately after hanging up his boots.

Day 1 in Multan was a proper toil for the English bowlers as on a flat surface with no help for the bowlers, the visitors saw the hosts pile up 328 runs for the loss of four wickets.

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