ENG vs IND | He just got lucky with top edges: James Anderson

On day 2, Stuart Broad became only the sixth bowler and third pacer to take 550 Test wickets when he had overnight batter Mohammed Shami caught at deep third man. 

But he didn't get much time to celebrate as while bowling his 18th over, he ended up conceding a record 35 runs in the one over, which is the most in one over in the history of Test cricket. 

Defending his bowling partner, Anderson said there were many top edges Broad induced which went for boundaries, and thus he was unlucky to go for 35 runs.

"Yeah, (it is) just one of those things. On another day, one of those top edges goes straight to hand. If that gets taken, nobody talks about the over,"

Many criticised Broad for his short ball tactics against Bumrah. However, Anderson revealed that it was the plan of captain Ben Stokes and he asked Broad to go with that tactic.

"I thought it was pretty unlucky. There's plenty of top edges and a couple of good shots, but that's the plan Ben (Stokes) wanted Broady to go with. Broady stuck to it, and on another day when the luck was with Stuart (Broad), an edge probably would have gone to hand,"

Anderson further said that it's easier to bowl to the top-order batters than the lower-order batters. He gave the example of Mohammed Siraj, who was trying to hit boundaries against Anderson but eventually got out to provide the legendary pacer with the fifth wicket of the innings. 

"Sometimes it can be easier to bowl at top-order bats, to be honest. I do remember a few balls to (Mohammed) Siraj. He tried to hit two out of the ground, and the next one played a perfect forward defence. It can be tricky to get into a rhythm against them. You've just got to try and back yourself that your best ball will get them out eventually,"

The visitors scored over 400 runs in the first innings and England bowlers went for plenty. However, amidst an abysmal show by the English bowlers, the 39-year-old Anderson was the bright spot for the hosts as he finished up with another five-wicket haul- 5/60, which was his 32nd in the 172 Tests long career.

England are reeling at 84-5, 332 runs adrift of India's 416 all out. However, Anderson stated that his team is used to getting out of tricky situations, and the team will be looking to put the pressure back on the Jasprit Bumrah-led Indian bowling attack with the attacking style of play.

"The way we've got out of sticky situations is trying to put pressure back on the opposition. I've got a fair feeling our best line of defence tomorrow will be attack. Our batters are naturally aggressive. We want to score and move the game forward," said Anderson after the day's play.

"We've got guys in the dressing room who need to fight to get us back into this game, and that's what we've got to do," the veteran seamer concluded.