James Anderson acknowledged that while English fans may be relieved by Virat Kohli’s absence in the ongoing Test series, facing such a high-caliber player provides a valuable opportunity to test oneself.
Veteran English bowler James Anderson, known for his memorable battles with Indian cricket star Virat Kohli, expressed disappointment over Kohli’s absence from the recent Test series against England due to personal reasons.
While acknowledging that English fans might be relieved by Kohli’s absence, Anderson emphasized the competitive spirit, noting that facing such a quality player presents a challenge and an opportunity to test oneself against the best.
“I guess English fans will be thankful he’s not playing because he’s such a quality player. But from our point of view you want to test yourself, you want to come up against the best and he’s been someone who I’ve found really challenging to bowl at over the years and it’s a shame he’s not been playing,” Anderson said on Jio Cinema.
In Tests, Kohli has faced 710 deliveries from James Anderson, scoring 305 runs but falling prey to the veteran pacer’s bowling seven times.
Anderson also commended Jasprit Bumrah’s performance, particularly in the Visakhapatnam Test, where he claimed nine wickets and earned the Player of the Match accolade. He praised Bumrah’s proficiency in utilizing reverse swing, citing his lethal yorker as another potent weapon.
Although Bumrah was rested for the fourth Test in Ranchi, he has returned to the Indian squad for the final match starting on March 5th in Dharamshala.
Last Updated on March 2, 2024
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