Atkinson, quietly assured, expressed that his debut exceeded his wildest dreams.

Gus Atkinson reflected on his remarkable test debut for England, where he claimed seven West Indies wickets for 45 runs, marking one of the finest starts by an English player in the format. He admitted that the achievement hadn’t fully sunk in yet, expressing astonishment when he looked at the scoreboard and thought, ‘Wow.’ Describing the day as very special, he confessed it exceeded his expectations.

Atkinson attributed some of his success to flying under the radar amidst the attention on James Anderson’s final test appearance. He appreciated the opportunity to focus on performing well without the spotlight. Being part of Anderson’s farewell match at Lord’s was an unforgettable experience for him, especially walking out with Anderson onto the pitch.

Acknowledging nerves at the beginning of the day, Atkinson shared how he tried to maintain a calm demeanor, despite his father’s excitement about the significance of the occasion. Reflecting on his confidence in his abilities, he mentioned his previous experience in shorter matches at Lord’s, which helped him adjust to the ground.

Overall, Atkinson felt privileged to have had the chance to make his mark in the first test of the summer and was grateful that things had gone so well for him.