England started day five needing another nine wickets to win a match they dominated throughout and Joe Root's side got the job done in the afternoon session at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.
Anderson produced a sublime spell before lunch, taking two wickets in one brilliant over, and finished with figures of 3-17, while the impressive Leach took 4-76 as India were dismissed for 192.
Half-centuries from Virat Kohli (72) and Shubman Gill (50) were in vain as India never looked like getting close to reaching their unlikely target of 420 to win or being capable of batting out for a draw.
Victory for the tourists ensured Root matched Michael Vaughan’s record tally of 26 Test wins as captain, capping a dream 100th match in the longest format for the in-form batsman, whose classy double century set up a perfect start to the four-match series.
India resumed on 39-1, needing an unlikely 401 more runs for victory, and they were two down when Leach drew an edge from Cheteshwar Pujara with a delivery that turned sharply, Ben Stokes taking a sharp catch at first slip.
Anderson then came to the fore with a magnificent over, removing Gill's off stump and repeating the trick to clean up Ajinkya Rahane for a duck three balls later.
India were in deep trouble on 110-5 when Rishabh Pant fell into the trap, taken by Root at short cover as another clever piece of bowling from the wily Anderson was rewarded again.
Leach snared Washington Sundar, superbly caught behind by Jos Buttler, to leave India staring down the barrel of defeat at 144-6 at lunch, with the classy Kohli running out of partners.
Ravichandran Ashwin was peppered by short stuff from Jofra Archer, taking a blow on the helmet and glove, as he hung around defiantly before another excellent take from Buttler gave Leach a third wicket.
Kohli look untroubled as he knuckled down, rotating the strike and putting away any loose deliveries, but Stokes came into the attack to bowl the skipper.
Shahbaz Nadeem became Leach's fourth victim and Archer had Jasprit Bumrah caught behind to seal a famous sixth consecutive away win for Root's men.
The Windies arrived in Manchester this week ahead of three Tests next month, which will take place behind closed doors at the Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford.
Discussing his team doing their part to support protests that have swept the globe in the aftermath of George Floyd's death in police custody, West Indies captain Jason Holder stated that the tourists could take a knee.
"Protesting and standing up for what you believe in is noble and courageous, and something I would never disapprove of." Holder said.
Anderson is certainly of similar mind and conceded English cricket must do more to serve the BAME community after his former international team-mate Michael Carberry told ESPNCricinfo: "Cricket is rife with racism. Black people are not important to the structure of English cricket."
England's leading Test wicket-taker Anderson said: "I think it's been a thought-provoking few weeks for everyone. It's made me do a lot of thinking.
"We definitely will have conversations as players about what we can do to make a stand. It's something that as players and a game we need to be more active with.
"It's made me think about whether I've experienced racism on the cricket field. I couldn't think of any instances. I wasn't there when Jofra Archer was abused in New Zealand [in 2019].
"It also made me think, have I just turned a blind eye to things? I'll try and support my team-mates if they do suffer any abuse but have I been active in supporting them?
"The game in general as well - I saw the stat that there's one black player that's come through the state school system in county cricket. That's not okay. We need to actively make this game for everyone.
"It can't keep going the way it is. That's what I've been thinking about and is there more that I can do to help as a player."
England captain Joe Root could miss some of the upcoming series, with his wife Carrie due to give birth to their second child at the start of July.
Ben Stokes is in line to step up as vice-captain and Anderson does not believe the superstar all-rounder would be compromised by the extra responsibility.
"Ben's been the vice-captain for a while now," the veteran seamer said.
"He's grown and grown with that responsibility. In the dressing room he's really got a presence He's got the respect of the team.
"The natural thing to do is for the vice-captain to step up if the captain's unavailable. I'd fully expect him to do a great job."
The main challenge heading into the West Indies series for Anderson, as a master of seam and swing, could be new regulations that prohibit bowlers from applying saliva to the ball in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 37-year-old is stepping up his preparations by bowling at England and Lancashire colleague Keaton Jennings and acknowledges breaking the habit of a lifetime is tricky, although he still expects most of the usual assistance pace bowlers enjoy in English conditions.
"It's going to be unusual," he added. "For me it's a natural habit to put saliva on the ball so it's been interesting trying to stop yourself doing that.
"Fortunately in Manchester we get quite a lot of rain, so I've been able to shine the ball on the grass.
"As far as I'm aware we can use sweat, so that's something and it'll be enough to polish the ball for it to do something through the air.
"I don't think it's going to be a huge deal for players. We'll manage to prepare the ball well enough for it to swing."
The Black Caps resumed at 63-5 with an improbable target of 394 after Stuart Broad took four wickets with the pink ball in the third day's evening session, but lost another three inside the first four overs on day four to scupper any hopes of a rally.
New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 126 with Daryl Mitchell (57*) the lone hand for the hosts, as James Anderson took four day-four wickets to finish with 4-18 from 10.3 overs.
Veteran right-arm fast bowler Anderson led the way after Jack Leach got the first breakthrough with Michael Bracewell lobbing to Harry Brook at midwicket for 25.
Anderson claimed the wickets of Scott Kuggeleijn lbw and Tim Southee caught by Joe Root at first slip in successive balls in the next over, before also having a driving Neil Wagner caught behind by Ben Foakes.
Mitchell brought up his sixth Test half-century during a 35-run 10th-wicket partnership with Blair Tickner which lasted almost an hour but merely delayed the end.
Anderson got the final wicket, hitting the top of Tickner's off-stump to round out an emphatic victory before the lunch break.
The second Test is in Wellington starting on Friday.
Anderson and Broad extend record
Anderson and Broad made history on Saturday, breaking Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath's record for the most wickets playing together, which stood at 1,001.
Broad's four wickets on Saturday took them to 1,005, while 40-year-old Anderson's quartet on Sunday extended that further to 1,009.
Brook named best afield
There was no genuine standout performer for England throughout the match, but Brook was named Player of the Match for his scores of 89 and 54.
The honour came in only Brook's fifth Test for England, with his natural talent on display, managing a strike rate of 117.2 across his two innings.
Anderson, who took 704 wickets in 188 games for England, did not officially call time on his career and is now considering a return to the white-ball format.
He recently joined the England coaching staff as a fast-bowling mentor following his retirement, and is helping Ben Stokes and the side ahead of their Test series with Sri Lanka next week.
However, the 42-year-old is now pondering potential avenues for a return to the T20 Arena or even in next season's Hundred competition.
Anderson has dedicated the last 10 years to red-ball cricket, not featuring in a 20-over game since 2014, but feels "still fit enough" to prolong his illustrious career.
"I might be in a bit of denial because I'm well aware I won't play for England again, but I've still not made a decision on my actual cricket career," Anderson told the Press Association.
"There's definitely a bit of intrigue with the shorter formats because I've not played any franchise stuff before.
"Watching The Hundred this year, seeing the ball swing around, it makes me feel like I could do a job there.
"I know it's a while since I played it and my age will get brought up again but I really feel I'll be good enough to play that form of cricket."
Less than a year after being surprisingly left of the tour of the West Indies, Anderson has reflected on his return to the England squad under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, who took over from Joe Root and Chris Silverwood last year.
The team has adopted an attacking mentality in that time, winning nine of their last 10 Test matches, and Anderson is looking forward to trying their new approach in the Ashes series later this year.
"It's exciting to be in this team. Whoever we play it's going to be fun, we're going to give it a good crack and Australia in the summer could just be incredible," he said.
"I can't see them doing anything but going toe-to-toe to be honest. I think they're going to fight fire with fire and that's going to make it so explosive and exciting.
"There is something wrong with you as a player if you didn't enjoy this way we're playing. It's constantly thinking and talking about the game in a positive way so, yes, it has reinvigorated me."
Anderson – who has played 177 Test matches, taking 675 wickets – also pointed to a moment that exhibited Stokes' leadership during the recent tour of Pakistan when the team was due to attend an audience with Prime Minister Shehbaz Shariz.
"He just went, 'the bowlers aren't going, they need to recover'. He's strong enough to do that," the 40-year-old said.
"I've always had him down as a lead-by-example guy. But he is just incredible, the emotional intelligence around the group, managing the players. I didn't know he had this side to him."
On his own return to the fold, Anderson said: "There was definitely a moment when I thought that could be it. There was a bit of anger and disappointment [at being left out of the West Indies tour].
"I was just trying to make sense of it and not make any rash decisions.
"I'm not the complete bowler. I've not played the perfect game or bowled the perfect over. There are always things I think I can iron out. I want to be best at everything I do; if I'm rubbish at something I'll just give it up."
England's record wicket-taker says he has recovered fully from the broken rib he sustained during the second Test victory over South Africa in early January.
That blow forced him to miss the third and fourth Tests, both of which England won to tie up a 3-1 series success.
Anderson, 37, hopes England pick him for the two-Test trip to Sri Lanka, even though he has struggled at times on tour against the Lions, in conditions not conducive to the Lancashire paceman masterful seam and swing.
He took just one wicket across two Tests in a November 2018 series, with Jack Leach, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali spinning England to a 2-0 lead before being rested for the third match, which the tourists also won.
Anderson said he was now "all healed" from his rib setback and doing gym work - welcome news for England, given Jofra Archer will miss the Sri Lanka series because of an elbow injury.
"I've been training for a few weeks now, getting my bowling back up to speed. I feel really good," Anderson told Sky Sports.
"The aim for me is to get fit for whatever is next and, at the moment, that is Sri Lanka.
"With a broken bone, you are just waiting for that to heal, you've not lost any fitness. It's about building my bowling back up now. We've got a month before that tour, so we have to just wait and see what the selectors think."
With 584 wickets, Anderson has claimed the most victims of any fast bowler in Test history.
"If I'm fit I want to be playing for England, wherever that might be," he said.
"I showed in South Africa that I can still do it abroad. I think I've been unlucky in the last few months with injuries, but I think my record before that has been pretty good injury-wise."
The seamer was given an emotional guard of honour at the start of the day before getting the opening wicket, but it was Gus Atkinson who capped an impressive debut by taking the final three.
England needed four wickets to win after the West Indies finished day two with 79-6, and Anderson took little time to take his 704th and final wicket in his Test cricket career by bowling out Joshua Da Silva.
Atkinson then took two more in quick succession to keep the pressure on, with only Gudakesh Motie (31) able to reach double figures as West Indies struggled to gain any momentum.
It looked to be written in the stars for Anderson to complete the win as Motie chipped one back defensively, but he dropped it from close range after only reaching out one hand.
With the final ball before what was supposed to be a break, Atkinson got his 12th wicket of the Test, with Ben Duckett catching Jayden Seales at the boundary as the debutant finished with 5-61 to go with his first innings of 7-45.
Data Debrief: A legend bows out
The end of an era is upon us as Anderson bids an emotional farewell. After taking one wicket in the first innings, he followed it up with three more in the second, finishing with 704 in the longest format with 123 of those having come at Lord's.
But Atkinson has provided hope for the future after a stellar debut which saw him finish on 12-106 over the three days - he is the first England bowler to claim 10+ wickets on debut in a home test since 1946.
He is also just the 19th male player to take a 10-fer on Test match debut, with his figures the fourth-best anyone has managed in their first match.
After struggling to make an impact in the series opener at Centurion, a game the Proteas won by 107 runs, Anderson has been back to his best in Cape Town, claiming the 28th five-wicket haul of his distinguished Test career.
The Lancashire seamer picked up the final two wickets in South Africa's first innings on the third morning to finish with 5-40, in the process securing his side a useful 46-run lead as they came out to bat again.
Dominic Sibley's unbeaten 85 helped increase their advantage, the opener putting on a 116-run stand with Joe Root (61) as England reached the close on Sunday on 218-4, putting them 264 ahead with plenty of time remaining in the contest.
Speaking after the close of play to Sky Sports, Anderson admitted he had been nervous on his comeback at SuperSport Park, having not played for his country since suffering a calf injury on the opening day of the Ashes series in August.
"What happened at Birmingham, with me pulling up after four overs [on the first day], I didn't want that to happen again," he said. "You are a bit nervous about that, plus I wanted to bowl well.
"I don't know if I was trying too hard, but I was desperate to prove my place in the team. Looking back, overall I was a bit rusty. I needed that extra game to get match fit."
Anderson added: "I'm so grateful for the help I've had getting me fit again. I have worked hard to get back and I feel in really good shape, felt in brilliant rhythm yesterday. That's what I've missed - real, proper Test cricket gives you a buzz when you get out there and get some wickets."
The 37-year-old managed just two wickets in the first Test - his 150th - but kept his place in the XI, yet he acknowledges there is plenty of competition considering the pace-bowling resources England have in their squad.
"With the bowling group we've got here, everyone is pushing each other," Anderson said. "We have so much talent; Mark Wood is coming back from injury, we've got Chris Woakes and Craig Overton really pushing hard to get into this team.
"It keeps you on your toes, you've got to keep performing and keep working hard at your game to keep them out. It makes for healthy competition."
As for the match situation, Anderson praised Sibley and Root for their application in the middle, something that was lacking for England first time around as a number of batsmen failed to capitalise on promising starts.
"I think it was a good day, a really good day to be honest," Anderson said.
"We wanted to be ruthless with the ball this morning and we were, then with the bat we made a point that everyone got a start in the first innings but did not go on. We wanted someone who, once they got in, would stick in there.
"That's exactly what Dom and Rooty did. It was a great partnership between them. It’s unfortunate with the two late wickets, but that happens in Test cricket. Generally, it was a good day and we are in a good position going into tomorrow."
Like much of the global sporting calendar, the English cricket season has been ravaged by the coronavirus crisis, with no competitive action able to take place so far.
England will play West Indies in three matches behind closed doors next month, with the tourists based at Old Trafford.
The Manchester ground will host the second and third games as a bio-secure venue, after the Ageas Bowl in Southampton stages the opener.
It is hoped a Test series against Pakistan can take place in August, with the possibility of limited-overs engagements against the same opponents, Australia and Ireland on the schedule.
The United Kingdom has suffered more COVID-19 deaths than any other country in Europe, while the Caribbean has been minimally impacted by the virus compared to other parts of the world.
Anderson is not treating West Indies' opting to help get the international game back up and running lightly.
"From our point of view we're certainly very grateful that the West Indies are coming over here," he said.
"Obviously, with what's going on in the world, I imagine it's a scary decision for a lot of them, for all of them to make the journey over so we're hugely grateful.
"It's great for the game. It's brilliant that we are closing in on getting some Test cricket played after a decent lay-off."
Anderson, England's all-time Test wicket-taker with 584 victims, has managed to be creative in order to maintain his fitness during lockdown and in training with Lancashire.
The 37-year-old suffered injury setbacks when facing Australia and South Africa and feels Joe Root might look to rotate his battery of seam bowlers on home soil.
"Training has been going well," he said. "I've managed to tick over quite well during lockdown.
"I've luckily got enough space to fit half of my run-up in on my drive, so I've been ticking over with my bowling. When I came back to training with Lancashire I've not been going in cold.
"I felt like I hit the ground running pretty well. I've been enjoying being back."
Anderson added: "Obviously there are concerns about the fact we are not going to have had any competitive cricket before that first Test match and then we've got three Test matches in quick succession.
"So there are obviously things that we need to look at ahead of that in terms of workloads and whether we play all three as bowlers or whether we rotate.
"I'm sure the medical staff and the coaches are doing their due diligence on that; that's something we'll have to look at in a few weeks' time.
"But at the moment I'm enjoying myself, I'm enjoying being back and feeling really good."
The evergreen Anderson was in majestic form, claiming three crucial second-innings wickets thanks to a masterful display of reverse-swing bowling, as England romped to a 227-run victory over India in the first Test in Chennai.
Now 38, Anderson's 611 Test wickets make him the most prolific pace bowler in the history of the longest format and, despite his advancing years, Silverwood believes the Lancastrian is in the form of his life.
"Could he play into his 40s? It's his choice," he said. "He is in the best shape of his life. He has worked extremely hard on his fitness and is in great shape and bowling beautifully.
"As long as he is fit and strong and healthy and wants to play he throws his hat in the ring.
"We have a very good science and medical team. I feel very lucky to have the staff I have working in that department.
"But Jimmy is a shining light. He is the best form of his life from a physical point of view and that is reflected in his bowling."
Nevertheless, Silverwood suggested the veteran might have to make way for Saturday's second game in the four-match rubber, with long-time new-ball partner Stuart Broad waiting in the wings.
Ben Foakes will take on wicketkeeping duties after Jos Buttler flew home for an allocated period of rest and Silverwood again defended England's rotation policy – something he views as a necessity in a year where his side face a home series against India, an away Ashes and the T20 World Cup.
"I'm not reluctant to change a winning team if it's the best thing to do for the players and the team and the longevity of it," Silverwood said.
"You run the risk of the result being different, but you could play the same team and the result would be different because we know India will come back hard.
"It is hard to leave a player like Anderson out, he is a class act. But Stuart Broad didn't play in the last game and we've many bowlers here who we could play at any given point.
"But no, I'm not reluctant to change the team because I think it's the best thing for us to do over a long period.
"I don't see it as weakening; I see it as an opportunity for people to come in and show what they can do."
Joe Root's side win the three-match series 1-0, courtesy of their thrilling opening victory at Old Trafford, but they endured frustration over the course of three rain-affected days having established a position of dominance at the Rose Bowl.
Zak Crawley turned his maiden Test century into a mammoth 267 – the 10th highest score of all time by an Englishman in the longest format – that proved to be the backbone of 583-8 declared after Root won the toss, with Jos Buttler also weighing in with a career-best 152.
Anderson claimed his 29th five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket for England as Pakistan were dismissed for 273 on Sunday and forced to follow-on.
The subsequent delays meant it was a case of all eyes on the 38-year-old when the sides finally emerged at 16:15 local time on Tuesday.
Anderson began in alliance with Jofra Archer in typically miserly fashion and number 600 arrived when he got a ball to lift to Pakistan captain Azhar Ali.
The first innings centurion could only edge through to Root at slip and the skipper embraced the delighted man of the moment.
Any hopes of England forcing victory after the moment of jubilation were quickly put to bed as Babar Azam showed his class in a fluent 63 not out, featuring eight fours.
Root's part-time off-spin removed Asad Shafiq, caught by substitute fielder James Bracey for 21, before the sides shook hands shortly after the final hour was called – Pakistan having reached 187 for four.
After being bowled out for 269 in their first innings, England allowed South Africa to recover from a vulnerable 40-3 as Dean Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen piled on 117 for the fourth wicket.
But a rush of five wickets after tea allowed England to reassert themselves in the contest, South Africa ending day two in Cape Town on 215-8 and thoroughly rattled.
Stokes' four catches in the innings put him one short of becoming the first English fielder - other than wicketkeepers - to take five in a Test innings.
The day's play ended with Anderson's third wicket as he had Keshav Maharaj caught by Dom Sibley at third slip.
Anderson's 3-34, Broad's 2-36 and Sam Curran's 2-39 showed up South Africa's limitations against England's seam attack, while heavily-worked spinner Dom Bess took the key wicket of Dean Elgar, who made 88 before skying one to the tourists' captain, Joe Root.
England, on 262-9 overnight, predictably did not go much further, adding only seven runs before Anderson edged a snappy delivery from Kagiso Rabada to Van der Dussen at first slip.
Anderson and Broad were reckoned by some observers to have been fighting for one place in this match, but with both getting the nod it was a familiar attack that awaited South Africa.
The knowledge of what was coming did not help the Proteas in the early stages, however. Broad immediately found his range and had Pieter Malan and Zubayr Hamza caught in the slips, both men gone for five apiece with Root and Stokes holding the catches behind the bat.
When Anderson struck a huge blow by removing home captain Faf du Plessis for just one run - Stokes again taking the catch - England had South Africa on the rack.
England thought they had snared Van der Dussen when he was caught in a tangle by a tasty Anderson delivery, only for a review to show the batsman had managed an inside edge.
Van der Dussen had another life on 16 when Broad looked to have him caught behind, yet the England paceman had overstepped by a couple of inches, and the same batsman was dropped by Stokes.
Just when it looked like Elgar would go to three figures, he lost patience after half an hour of England stemming the flow of runs, took a big swing at Bess and Root snaffled a patient catch at deep mid-off.
Curran got in on the act, having Quinton de Kock caught at mid-off by Anderson and finally removing Van der Dussen, whose luck ran out on 68 when Stokes held a fine low catch down to his right.
Anderson accounted for Dwaine Pretorius, with Stokes redeeming himself for a drop at the start of the 81st over by gobbling up a chance off the Lancastrian three balls later, and Anderson's next strike made it marginally England's day.
Anderson needed two wickets on the penultimate day to become the first fast bowler to take 600 scalps in the longest format, but could only dismiss Abid Ali for a patient 42.
Jos Buttler became the fourth player to drop a catch off Anderson's bowling in the final match of the series and Pakistan produced a strong rearguard action to close on 100-2 - trailing by 210 runs - as they battled to salvage a draw.
Stuart Broad (1-23) dismissed Shan Masood, who was given that early life by Buttler, but England could only strike twice in the 56 overs that were possible on a flat pitch at the Rose Bowl.
England will end a 10-year wait for a Test series win over Pakistan on the final day as they lead 1-0, but there are major doubts over whether there will be any play as Storm Francis is heading for Southampton.
With uncertainty over when England's next Test will be, Anderson could face a long wait for his next chance to become only the fourth player to join the 600 club.
Ollie Pope left the field early in the day and did not return after the tourists resumed at the start of their second innings with a deficit of 304.
Anderson (1-18) suffered more frustration when Buttler failed to grasp a chance offered by Masood on three and Pakistan's openers dug in with defiance before an early lunch was taken due to heavy rain at 41 without loss.
Abid and Masood (18) continued to dig in after play restarted following a lengthy spell off the field, but a stand of 49 ended when the left-hander fell lbw offering no shot to Broad.
Captain Azhar Ali, who made a magnificent unbeaten century on day three, and Abid saw out another 26 overs as England appeared to run out of ideas before Anderson moved a step closed to 600.
Abid was the man to depart, trapped in front to leave Pakistan 88-2 but Anderson was soon taken out of the attack in fading light and the players were taken off with the seamer reflecting on what might have been.
Frustrated Anderson within touching distance
England's leading Test wicket-taker Anderson had the Monday blues after Buttler became the latest player to spurn a chance to help him reach the 600-mark.
Rory Burns, Zak Crawley and Broad spilled catches on day three and Anderson was left shaking his head after wicketkeeper Buttler missed a straightforward opportunity to see the back of Masood.
The four drops came in the space of 37 balls from Anderson, who will be hoping some calm after the storm gives him another chance to make history on the last day of England's final Test of the summer.
Resolute Pakistan show great fight
Pakistan started the penultimate day facing a real challenge to avoid a heavy defeat, but their batsmen showed impressive discipline in a match England have dominated.
Abid fell for only one in the first innings after making a half-century in the second Test, but soaked up 162 balls before he eventually fell to Anderson.
Masood and skipper Azhar, with a spring his step after a brilliant knock on Sunday, also showed commendable resilience on a day of Test cricket that will not live long in the memory but really should have done.
The fast bowler played his final Test match for England against the West Indies with an innings win on the third day, taking four wickets to see him finish with a total of 704 for his career.
Anderson is England's all-time leading wicket-taker, with only Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne ahead of him in the all-time list of Test bowlers.
Over a 21-year career, he won 188 Test caps for England, the most of any player, but despite his many records, he does not believe he reached the level of the "greats".
"You go so up and down," he told Sky Sports. "Some series you feel amazing and some not quite on it and a batter gets the better of you.
"Playing against Virat Kohli in the early days, you felt you could get him out every ball and then recently like you can't get him out at all. You feel so inferior.
"I have never felt great at any stage. I know that sounds strange. I have always thought 'How can I get better for the next series?'. That has helped me play for such a long time."
Anderson was given a guard of honour by both teams at Lord's on Friday before going out onto the balcony following the match to more celebratory scenes from the spectators.
Asked about the legacy he wanted to leave behind, the 41-year-old admitted he would be pleased to find out he had inspired others to take up the sport.
"The way I have loved the sport so much, I would love for there to be people out there that have taken up the game because they have watched me bowl," said Anderson.
"That people have been entertained by watching me bowl and there are kids or grown-ups who have taken up the art of swing bowling because they have seen me bowl. That would make me so happy."
Anderson will immediately move onto England's backroom staff, becoming a bowling mentor for the second Test at Trent Bridge next week.
The 37-year-old has taken 584 Test wickets and has a further 269 to his name in one-day cricket, making him the most prolific bowler for his country in both formats.
But despite his advancing age and recent injury issues, Anderson believes his best cricket may still be ahead of him.
He told Sky Sports on Sunday: "There's always going to be that element of, ‘Well he's 37'. There's a stigma for some reason around sportsmen getting to a certain age with a, 'Well, it's about time he moved on' sort of thing. For me, I genuinely don't know if I've peaked yet as a bowler.
"For me, in my head, why does 37 have to be towards the end? Cooky [Alastair Cook] said he's not going to be playing when he's 45 – probably not, but I've seen bowlers go into their 40s. It's not impossible."
Anderson's latest fitness setback came when he sustained a broken rib during the second Test against South Africa in early January.
The Lancashire paceman recently outlined his goal to return for the tour of Sri Lanka, which starts in March.
"I've been training for a few weeks now, getting my bowling back up to speed. I feel really good," he told Sky Sports on Friday.
"The aim for me is to get fit for whatever is next and, at the moment, that is Sri Lanka."
England's all-time leading wicket-taker Anderson will end his storied red-ball career after the first Test against West Indies on July 10.
Anderson's 700 wickets in 187 Tests are the most by any pace bowler in history but the 41-year-old will bow out as Brendon McCullum's England look to plan for the future.
The Lancashire bowler's farewell international appearance will come at Lord's in the first of three Tests against West Indies, though Anderson suggested a move to the backroom staff could be a possibility.
"I feel excited about what the future might hold, whether that is potentially to stick around with the team this summer in a different sort of capacity, it would be nice," Anderson told the BBC's Tailenders podcast.
Reports emerged on Friday that McCullum is planning for the long term as he looks to reshape England's bowling attack, with the announcement confirmed a day later.
England will be looking to build a team capable of claiming back the Ashes in Australia across 2025-26 and Anderson acknowledged that task may have proved too great.
"It was sort of just looking ahead and could a 43-year-old me make the Ashes in 18 months' time and we sort of came to the decision that probably not," he added.
"From my point of view, it feels like a stretch at this stage of my career and from their [England's] point of view there are 15 or so Tests before the Ashes.
"It gives them time to give other guys Test matches and experiences before that. It feels like the right thing for me and the team going forward. It feels like a good time."
Anderson says he will play for Lancashire before his Test farewell at Lord's, though plans remain unclear on his commitment to the county side after that.
"I am not 100 per cent set on what I am going to do next," he continued.
"That will be a conversation down the line and see what they [Lancashire] want to do and if I have the desire and willingness as well."
As for that final time in England whites, Anderson wants to sign off in style.
Ahead of the West Indies meeting, the England bowler is third on the all-time list of Test wicket-takers behind spinners Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka and Australia's Shane Warne.
"Nearer the time and around that Test different emotions will start rearing their head," he said. "Right now I am happy with everything.
"I am glad I get to play cricket again. I am looking forward to playing for Lancashire, playing that first Test, having fun on the field and remembering why I started playing the game.
"I would like to end it as I started it, loving bowling, showing my skills and helping the team win."
Anderson claimed three second-innings wickets in his 188th and final Test match to end up with 704 in his 21-year career, third on the all-time list behind Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708).
Those in attendance at Lord's rose to their feet and applauded the England seamer as he left the field of play for one final time.
"I'm a bit overwhelmed, actually. I have been all week. Walking to the ground, taking to the field. The crowd, the players. It has been amazing. It feels really special.
"It is special to win and to contribute as well. I'm happy I got a couple of top-order batters out in the second innings.
"I have been using hayfever as an excuse all week. There's been a few moments when it has been emotional. My daughters ringing the bell, walking out this morning.
"When I ran up to bowl my first ball I was in a daze and had not even thought where I was going to bowl."
Anderson kickstarted England's search for four wickets to ensure the triumph by bowling out Joshua Da Silva (9) having walked out to a guard of honour at Lord's.
The 41-year-old was almost given the dream send-off but was unable to hold Gudakesh Motie's follow through.
Instead, it would be Test debutant Gus Atkinson to capture the final wicket, becoming the first England bowler to take a 10-wicket match haul on debut since John Lever in India in 1976.
"It would have been nice to get that catch. I should have got two hands to it. It was an awkward height and didn't stick. But I'm just happy we got the win," Anderson said.
"I am also buzzing for Gus. He has been around the group for a while now. He has worked really hard and to see him go out there and perform like that is amazing."
With England's bowling in the seemingly capable hands of Atkinson, Anderson will now look forward to a life away from the sport.
"It is difficult to know. I have never retired before so it is hard to think about how you will feel," Anderson said.
"It is good that I am sticking with the group all summer. We have a group of talented young bowlers who can have a great career at this level. So this is my job for the rest of the summer.
"At some point I will sit down and reflect on my career I've never really done that you are always thinking about the next series and next game."
Ben Duckett struck a rapid 84 off only 68 balls and Harry Brook made a majestic 89 from 81 deliveries as the tourists put 325 runs on the board from 58.2 overs before Stokes ended the innings at Bay Oval.
The Black Caps were in trouble on 37-3 at stumps in the day-night match in Mount Maunganui, the outstanding Anderson taking 2-10 after Ollie Robinson got rid of Tom Latham.
Tim Southee asked England to bat first at the start of a two-match series that got under way following great work from the ground staff so soon after Cyclone Gabrielle had passed through.
Southee got rid of Zak Crawley early on with the pink ball, but the aggressive Duckett and Ollie Pope put on 99 for the second wicket.
Duckett fell before lunch when he struck debutant Blair Tickner to Michael Bracewell and Pope was dismissed by Southee (2-71) for 42 before Neil Wagner removed Joe Root (14).
England were 209-5 when Scott Kuggeleijn (2-80) claimed the scalp of Stokes on debut, but Brook raced to a 43-ball half-century as he put on 89 with Ben Foakes in quick time.
Brook missed out on making it four hundreds in as many Tests when he dragged on to a delivery from Wagner, who also saw the back of Foakes (38) and Jack Leach before Stokes declared.
Robinson then had Latham caught at short leg, with Anderson generating movement off the seam and through the air as he trapped Kane Williamson leg before and had Henry Nicholls caught by Crawley in the slips.
Devon Conway was still there at the close after being dropped by Crawley on nine and nightwatchman Wagner did his job, but it was England's day.
Duckett and Brook stay in one-day mode
Opener Duckett and Brook have grabbed their chance with both hands after coming into the Test side last year, piling on the runs in a historic 3-0 series win in Pakistan.
Duckett set the tempo at the top of the order, putting the bowlers under pressure as he crashed 14 boundaries in a swashbuckling knock.
Brook then took centre stage once again, showing his class as he found the rope 15 times and struck Tim Southee for a glorious six down the ground.
Anderson puts deadly duo on verge of history
England's legendary duo of Anderson and Stuart Broad came into this match closing in on become the most successful bowling partnership in Test history.
Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath combined to claim 1,001 when they were in the same Australia team.
Two scalps for Anderson moved the evergreen seamer and Broad on to 999, within touching distance of setting a new record.
The tourists kick off a three-match series in Rawalpindi on December 1, marking their first return to the country for red-ball cricket since 2005.
England had not toured Pakistan in the wake of the Sri Lanka bus attack in 2009 until September this year, when they returned to the nation for a seven-game T20 series ahead of the World Cup.
But having won six out of seven Tests on home turf under an all-guns-blazing approach from captain Stokes and coach McCullum, Anderson is ready to maintain the momentum on their trip overseas.
"We've got a captain and coach that don't want draws," the 40-year-old told BBC Sport. "We're not playing for draws.
"We don't know how it's going to play. Traditionally it is flat. We'll come out and try to win the game - we might have to be creative in how we do that."
Though a member of the party for England's last Test tour of Pakistan in 2005, Anderson did not feature, but he did play in a string of ODI matches.
That means the veteran red-ball specialist is in the dark on what to expect from his wicket, although he says he is still delighted to finally get the chance to play the longer format there.
"It's great to be back," he said. "Seventeen years is a long time. It would be wrong if I said, 'The pitch is going to play like this', or, 'This is what to expect'.
"There will be times when we have to soak up pressure. We get that.
"But there will be times when we have to put pressure back on the opposition and the skill we're trying to develop is when to do that.
"With the ball we're trying to take wickets. The captain and coach have made that quite clear - every time you run in to bowl it's about taking wickets - not about controlling the run-rate. It's about how we're going to get 20 wickets."
England claimed an impressive three-wicket win at Old Trafford, chasing down a target of 277 after their bowlers had helped bring them back into the contest late on day three.
However, Anderson struggled at his home ground, at times cutting an exasperated figure as he returned match figures of 1-97.
The seamer admits he struggled for rhythm but, at 38, is focused on rediscovering his best form as he closes in on the milestone of 600 Test wickets.
Asked on a media conference call on Monday whether he was contemplating retirement amid speculation over his future, Anderson emphatically replied: "Absolutely not.
"It's been a frustrating week for me personally because I've not bowled very well, I've felt out of rhythm.
"Probably for the first time in 10 years I got a little bit emotional on the field, started getting frustrated and let that get to me a little bit.
"It reminded me of when I first started playing, when you get frustrated and a little bit angry then you start trying to bowl quicker and quicker, and that obviously doesn't help on the field.
"For me, once we get down to Southampton, it is a case of working really hard over the next couple of days, see if there are any technical issues that I can sort out and just try and work hard and hope that I get the nod for the next game, so I can try and show people that I've still got what it takes to play Test cricket."
While once again pointing out his determination to keep on playing, Anderson acknowledged his future could be taken out of his hands by the selectors.
England are back in action this week, with the second Test against Pakistan beginning on Thursday at the Rose Bowl, and have called up Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson to the squad.
"I want to keep playing for as long as I possibly can," Anderson said. "If I keep bowling the way I did this week, the opportunity to retire will be taken out of my hands.
"I'm still hungry to play the game, I think the frustration for me this week is that after just one bad game, whispers go around, and I don't think that is really fair.
"Something that I have done well throughout my career is deal with the pressure that comes with playing, whether that is pressure of expectation, pressure of the match situation - I feel I've dealt with that pretty well throughout my career.
"This week I probably didn't do that very well. That is something I need to look at and go away, personally look at that and whether I play in the next game or the game after that or if it is in the winter then whenever I play next, I'm ready to be able to cope with that."
