I would be a good captain - Anderson

James Anderson says he is "always chatting" to Andrew Strauss about field placings - and knows he can learn a great deal from the current captain

James Anderson insists he has the makings of a future England captain.

The pace bowler has revealed a largely unexpected ambition to take the reins, while admitting he was disappointed to be overlooked for the vice-captaincy for the forthcoming Test series in South Africa.

Alastair Cook was appointed Andrew Strauss’ deputy, but 27-year-old seamer Anderson claims he possesses the attributes to take charge one day.

“I'd love to be captain of my country, as I'm sure a number of people would,” said Anderson, who has matured from the almost painfully shy 20-year-old who made his England debut in 2002 into the most experienced member of the bowling attack.

“Certainly in the last few years as I’ve become more settled in the team, I’ve had more input in team meetings and I offer a bit more to the younger players in terms of advice and tips.

“I’ve got a decent cricket brain; when we’re on the field I'm always chatting to Straussy about field placings, not just for my bowling but for other guys.

“If I can develop that and use Straussy - he’s a great captain in that respect - and I keep developing, then you never know. I’d love to have a go at it at some point.

“Vice-captaincy is the first stepping stone to that but I see it as a goal. It’s not impossible for me to become captain - and I think I could do a good job.”

Anderson admits he is “probably not ready now” to lead the Test side, but he is confident he could do so in the shortest format, a role currently filled by Paul Collingwood.

“I could do a decent job as Twenty20 captain,” Anderson claimed. “The team we've got, there’s Colly but the rest of the team is quite inexperienced.

“Where Test cricket is concerned, I want to cement my place in the team a bit more first. But eventually I’d like to captain a team, whether it was England or Lancashire - I’d love to do that.”

James Anderson expects squad rotation to be more widely used as a means of coping with the international schedule

Anderson’s captaincy may be limited to a stint as skipper of Burnley Under-15s, but he has taken much heart from Glen Chapple’s success at the Lancashire helm this year.

While the majority of captains tend to be batsmen - a fact acknowledged by Anderson - Chapple, a seam-bowling all-rounder, bucked the trend by taking on the added burden of leadership this summer. His performances did not suffer.

“I’ve always thought that it would be harder as a bowler,” added Anderson. “But seeing Glen Chapple this year, he's done a fantastic job. It has given me a bit more confidence and belief that I can do the job.”

As a member of England's Test, one-day and Twenty20 side, Anderson endured a heavy workload during a hectic summer - and can expect a similarly strenuous time when he flies to South Africa this weekend.

He was rested for three matches of the NatWest Series against Australia, which was sandwiched by the Ashes and the Champions Trophy, and, while he is grateful for a recent two-week break which allowed him to get "patched up", Anderson predicts that squad rotation will become an increasingly common sight in international cricket.

"With the schedule the way it is, you can't play as many games as we've got and not get burnt out," he said. "We're going to see more and more of the resting of players and using the squad more.

"If I played every game from now until 2013, I don't think I'd be able to get there.

"If they bring the rotation policy in and use it wisely, use the squad wisely, there's no reason why I can't play for another six or seven years."