Following England’s commanding victory over West Indies in the first Test, attention swiftly turned to James Anderson and his illustrious Test career. Despite a relatively quiet outing with just one wicket in the first innings and three in the second, Anderson’s skill was evident as he baffled the opposition batsmen, particularly in the latter innings.
Anderson’s retirement marked the conclusion of a remarkable career spanning 22 years, during which he amassed over 100 Test wickets against three different teams. His 149 dismissals against India stand out as the most against any single opponent, highlighting his mastery over Indian batsmen across multiple generations.
Throughout his career, Anderson faced and successfully dismissed cricketing giants like Sachin Tendulkar, whom he claimed nine times, Virat Kohli on seven occasions, and emerging talents like Shubman Gill six times. Additionally, Anderson troubled Cheteshwar Pujara 12 times and Ajinkya Rahane eight times, showcasing his versatility and longevity in Test cricket.
James Anderson and Virat Kohli have engaged in a compelling rivalry throughout their encounters in Test cricket. Their battle began in 2012 when Anderson dismissed Kohli once during a series. The intensity escalated in the 2014 Test series in England, where Anderson managed to dismiss Kohli four times across 10 innings. This series proved to be Kohli’s lowest point statistically in Test cricket in England, as he accumulated just 139 runs.
However, Kohli bounced back strongly in subsequent years. Between 2016 and 2018, Anderson struggled to dismiss Kohli, who amassed 183 runs against him without losing his wicket. In 2021, Anderson regained some ground by dismissing Kohli twice, restricting him to 72 runs. Earlier in 2024, Kohli faced Anderson cautiously, scoring 8 runs off 29 deliveries without getting out, contributing to India’s series victory over England.
In their 36 Test innings against each other, Kohli has managed 305 runs off 710 balls from Anderson, with a significant portion, 560 balls, resulting in dots. Kohli has struck 39 fours but hasn’t managed to hit a six against Anderson. Despite a relatively low strike rate of 42.95 against Anderson, Kohli maintains a respectable average of 43.57. Across 25 Test matches, Anderson has dismissed Kohli seven times, showcasing their enduring rivalry on the cricket field.
James Anderson On Rivalry With Virat Kohli
Anderson in his final press conference mentioned his rivalry with Kohli over the years. It was one of the most enriching and anticipated rivalries.
“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 to Sky Sports.
Anderson ended with 704 Test wickets. He was chasing Shane Warner’s tally of 709 wickets at the start of the Test match and needed 13 more to get to 1000 international wickets as a seamer.
