James Anderson hails Virat Kohli as one of the greatest
What's the story
Former England pacer, James Anderson, has hailed Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli as one of the greatest to have ever played the game. The accolade comes as Kohli recently retired from Test cricket, ending a phenomenal career in which he scored 9,230 runs including 30 centuries in 123 matches. The announcement came just days after Indian captain Rohit Sharma also chose to retire from the Test format.
Talent recognition
Anderson acknowledges India's talent pool amid retirements
While Anderson admitted that India will be challenged with the retirements of Kohli and Sharma, he also pointed out the country's rich talent pool. He said on TalkSport, "There are big shoes to fill there, but they've got a huge amount of talent in their squad." He further stressed the point by citing IPL's contribution in bringing aggressive and fearless players into Test cricket.
Caution
Anderson warns England against underestimating India
With Kohli and Sharma's retirements coming before the five-match Test series against England, Anderson warned his side not to take India lightly. He warned they could be a tough opponent. "India is going to be such a tough challenge even at home. They are a strong side," he said, emphasizing the strength of the Indian cricket team despite recent leadership changes.
DYK
Anderson dismissed Kohli the joint-most times in Tests
The India-England Test series in the past decade often headlined battles between Kohli and Anderson. As per ESPNcricinfo, Anderson dismissed Kohli a total of seven times in Test cricket across 36 innings. Australia's Nathan Lyon is the only bowler to trap the Indian great as many times. However, Kohli averaged a solid 43.57 against Anderson.
Fixtures
Fixtures: India tour of England, 2025
1st Test: June 20-24 - Headingley. 2nd Test: July 2-6 - Edgbaston, Birmingham. 3rd Test: July 10-14 - Lord's, London. 4th Test: July 23-27 - Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester. 5th Test: July 31 - August 4 - The Kia Oval, London. Notably, India haven't won a Test series in England since 2007.