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Virat Kohli wouldn’t have transformed into the batsman he eventually became without the presence of James Anderson in his life. It’s a rivalry that keeps Test cricket alive, one that has emerged as a billboard for modern India-England contests and something that will continue to fuel the TRPs of the ongoing series.
In India’s 2014 tour of England, James Anderson consistently tested Virat Kohli outside the off-stump, dismissing him four times in Tests and once in the ODIs.
The then-Indian vice-captain returned home distraught after a forgetful tour, worked on his technique with Sachin Tendulkar and raced towards greatness.
Three months later in Australia, he slammed four centuries in as many Tests, toying with the likes of Mitchell Johnson and co. In the years to follow, Virat Kohli made James Anderson toil for his wicket. Although the English champion continued to flirt with the Indian’s outside edge, the old love seemed lost.
Revoking memories of the 2014 English summer, James Anderson produced a ripper outside the off-stump to kiss the outside edges of the Indian captain’s bat to send him back for a golden duck. With Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli departing off consecutive deliveries, the 39-year-old master paved England’s way back into the Test.
The dismissal led to a stat fest. Here are the three interesting ones among the many.
#3 Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, James Anderson and the age ‘32’
Virat Kohli is India’s greatest batter since Sachin Tendulkar and there’s no doubt that James Anderson enjoys tormenting the greats. He has dismissed Tendulkar 12 times in international cricket and has now got Virat Kohli out nine times at the same level.
Rewind to the Mumbai Test of 2006. Tendulkar, India’s no.4, edged James Anderson to the 'keeper at the score of one. Tendulkar was 32 at the time. In 2021, he dismissed Virat Kohli, 32, in a similar fashion.
Not a surprise, but James Anderson is the only bowler to get both Virat Kohli and Tendulkar out at the same age in international cricket.
Trivia: England’s 2006 tour of India marked the debut of Sir Alastair Cook, who retired in 2018 after playing 161 Tests. In fact, when James Anderson debuted for England, even the first T20 match hadn’t been played. When he played his first List A match, Prithvi Shaw wasn’t a year old.
Virat Kohli vs James Anderson: 7 years and a 454-ball wait!
On August 7, 2014, at his home ground in Manchester, James Anderson got the edge of Virat Kohli to dismiss him for a duck. It was the fifth time in 20 months that the English veteran had got him out.
The duo tussled against each other in 17 innings across three series (2016-17, 2018 and 2020-21), but a much-improved batter, Virat Kohli, made it a point to not get out to the English legend. Between the two dismissals, there were 454 balls that James Anderson hurled at Virat Kohli in the past seven years, giving away 206 runs and to his misfortune, there were three dropped chances.
On August 5, 2021, James Anderson, at 39, finally got Virat Kohli for the sixth time in Test cricket. In doing so, he equalized Anil Kumble’s tally of 619 wickets – and is the joint third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.
Trivia: With nine scores of 0, Virat Kohli now has the most ducks as the Indian captain. He is also the first Indian captain with three golden ducks. Out of his nine ducks, four have come against England, including three in 2021.
29 ducks, 28 bowlers: A rare 2 against Virat Kohli for James Anderson
Going back to the Old Trafford Test of 2014, James Anderson dismissing Virat Kohli for a duck was the first time the English bowler got his out without scoring. On Thursday, he became the first bowler in international cricket to dismiss him for a duck in more than one instance.
Virat Kohli registered his 29th duck in international cricket. Only James Anderson has got him out twice without scoring. Before this, there were 28 different bowlers.
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