Sachin Tendulkar was perhaps the finest batsman James Anderson ever faced, but his encounters with Virat Kohli defined cricketing drama. Their clashes in Test matches were legendary, marked by intense battles where both giants sought dominance over the other. From 2014 through 2021, these duels etched themselves into cricketing lore, evolving as Kohli matured from a rising star to a global icon while Anderson’s reputation also soared. Thus, it was only appropriate for the retiring English stalwart to pay tribute to Kohli in his farewell address.

Reflecting on his battles with Virat Kohli, James Anderson, aged 41, encapsulated their journey over the years. He recalled a phase in 2014 when Kohli seemed easily dismissible, contrasting with the challenge of not getting him out at all just four years later, and eventually reaching a stage where both had their moments in 2021. Anderson, in an interview with Sky Sports following his retirement, highlighted the rollercoaster nature of bowling to Kohli, whom he managed to dismiss 7 times in 25 Test matches.

“You go so up and down. 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,” the legendary English pacer said.

The Kohli vs Anderson rivalry

The Kohli-Anderson saga began in 2014, with Anderson having the upper hand by dismissing Kohli five times in their initial 10 Tests together. By 2016, the tables turned drastically as Kohli dominated Anderson and England during a five-Test series in India. In 2018, Kohli’s prowess peaked as he amassed nearly 700 runs without succumbing to Anderson even once. Their rivalry continued into 2021, where Anderson managed to dismiss Kohli twice, contributing to a series that ended in a 2-2 draw.

The highly anticipated five-Test series between India and England earlier this year was supposed to mark the final showdown between Kohli and Anderson. However, Kohli’s unexpected absence from the series due to injury dampened the climax of their storied rivalry.So as it turns out, the 2021 series would go down as the last of Kohli vs Anderson. Beyond the dismissals and runs scores, it was the roller-coaster of emotions the two went through that made it a spectacle. The sight of Kohli sledging Kohli during his run-up, having a word when Jasprit Bumrah went after him in an over full of bouncers, or the giggles and laughter the two shared while heading back towards the dressing room, is what added layers to this modern-day epic.

In 36 Test innings, Kohli has scored 305 runs against Anderson off 710 balls, out of which 560 have been dots. Kohli has hit Anderson for 39 fours but has failed to clear the ropes against him. Kohli has a strike-rate of 42.95 against the English great but his average reads a decent 43.57.