James Anderson and Stuart Broad expect rotation in busy Test year for England

James Anderson and Stuart Broad are both prepared to be rotated during a busy year for England, but believe there will be a "fine balance" between fitness and form.

England could play in 17 Tests this year as they face Sri Lanka, India (home and away), New Zealand - subject to confirmation - and then finish with the Ashes in Australia.

While England's two leading wicket-takers will be keen to feature as much as possible, they also acknowledge it is "unrealistic" to expect to play every game.

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Speaking on The Hussain and Key Cricket Show ahead of England's two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, which starts on Thursday live on Sky Sports, Anderson said: "It's a lot of cricket in 12 months so the likelihood is the seam bowlers will rotate at some point or miss the odd game.

"It looks really exciting, you are playing the top three teams in the world, India at home is always a difficult series, and there are opportunities for the team to improve and develop and make our way into the World Test Championship at the end of the year."

Broad said he was "frustrated and angry" when he was dropped for England's first Test of the summer in 2020.

But he acknowledges that with so much cricket ahead - and the Ashes to finish the year - he may be rested at times.

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"It's quite unrealistic to think one seamer will get through all that cricket, and you want seamers to peak at particular times.

"Of course you want to win every series but you don't want to be going to Australia with four injured quick bowlers, you want them firing for November and December, so it's a balance that the captain, coach and selectors have to take.

"It's a fine balance because you want to get experience into young bowlers too; the chance to play with Jimmy Anderson and learn from him is a great opportunity, I keep learning now and I'm 34, so you do want to give opportunities for players to develop.

"But we live in an industry where you have to win Test matches. To win Test matches you want your best bowlers in the conditions. Whether that's three spinners in Sri Lanka, or your best seamers in England, you want to win."

England saw the second day of their warm-up match washed out, meaning they travelled to Galle on Saturday ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka.

While the series may produce more wickets for the spinners than the seamers, Anderson believes there is still an opportunity for himself and Broad to impress.

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"Your role does change, definitely. There is early swing but you have to be on the money when you get the chance to bowl. It might only be four or five overs where it swings so you have to be on the money there, then you do get reverse swing as well later in the innings.

"The last time we were here the spinners are the attacking option and the seamers become the holding role, breaking up the spinners and trying to give them a rest and doing a different job. In England, they might be doing that and you are the attacking bowlers."

Broad added: "It's about being realistic with your expectations for the winter. It's unlikely a seamer is going to play all six games this winter, two here and four in India, with the back-to-back workloads. It's unlikely a seamer will take 34 wickets at 17, you have to change your mindset on that.

"I think Jimmy is dead right with the mindset about doing your role for the team on that particular pitch. Galle is a pitch where if you bowl 20 overs and take 1-40 you have done a brilliant role, if you do that for your whole career you won't stay in the side too long, but it's being realistic!"

Watch the first Test between Sri Lanka and England on Sky Sports Cricket from 4am on Thursday.