James Anderson has admitted that he remains baffled by his exclusion from the England Test team - having so far failed to receive an explanation for being dropped.
Still ranked as the ninth best Test bowler in the world by the ICC, the 39-year-old was not called up for the recent series defeat in West Indies, alongside long-term opening partner Stuart Broad.
The England setup is undertaking an ambitious “red-ball reset” ahead of the summer, with the future of their star bowler a major unresolved issue amid the hunt for a new coach and questions over Joe Root’s captaincy.
“I've stopped trying to make sense of it and just put it to one side," Anderson said.
“It was completely out of my control. I've got to focus on what I can control and that is bowling as well as I possibly can. Firstly that is [with Lancashire] these next two months, try and take as many wickets as I possibly can and see what happens from there.
“Something like this, for me, it's quite a big deal because it came out of the blue a little bit. I still feel like I'm bowling well.
“I was in the top 10 of the world rankings so I feel like I'm doing a good job for the team. I feel like I've got a lot to offer, not just on the field but off it. I've really enjoyed working with the other bowlers that are coming through.
“After an Ashes defeat everything comes under scrutiny. There's lots going on, people losing their jobs and stuff. I would have loved a sit-down, face-to-face, but obviously that's not always possible in these situations. I would have loved more than a five-minute phone call, but again that's not always possible.
“It's difficult because there is no one in those positions yet, there is an interim director of cricket and interim head coach. With stuff up in the air like that, I would expect to hear something once those positions are filled.”
Anderson is set to begin the County Championship season bowling for Lancashire and has accepted that he will have to put together a string of First-class wickets to try and earn his Test place back.
“I guess so,” he noted on that point. “For me, if I think of how I build up to a Test series, I want to be in as good form as possible going into that series.
“For me, the best way of doing that is performing for Lancashire, trying to win games of cricket. That's been my mindset for ever really.
“Hopefully those performances will lead to a call-up and if not then at least we will get off to a good start to the season.
“If the England call doesn't come, I will still play here this season. I have never looked too far ahead in my career. It's always game by game, series by series, season by season.”
