"Anderson has a psychological advantage" - Rajkumar Sharma on Virat Kohli's rivalry with pacer heading into the 5th India vs England Test

Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma believes James Anderson enjoys a psychological edge over his ward when it comes to their Test battles in England.

Anderson was all over Kohli during Team India's 2014 Test tour to England, dismissing him on four occasions while conceding just 19 runs. Although the modern batting great was not dismissed by Anderson on the 2018 tour, the England swing bowler accounted for Kohli's dismissal twice in the four Tests played on the 2021 trip.

During an interaction on Indian News, Rajkumar Sharma was asked about Virat Kohli renewing his rivalry with Anderson in the upcoming final Test against England. He replied:

"We will get to see a fantastic contest. Anderson has a psychological advantage as well, that he has dismissed Virat many times, especially in England, although he was not able to get him out in India. But what he did with Virat in England, especially in 2014, a psychological edge is definitely there."

The former first-class cricketer pointed out that it is difficult for any batter to counter Anderson in English conditions. Sharma observed:

"I believe Anderson is a fantastic bowler and in English conditions, he is an exceptional bowler. The angles from which he bowls and the late swing he gets in England, any batter finds it difficult to play him."

Sharma added that it is even tougher for a subcontinental batter to face the England pacer in swinging conditions. He reasoned:

"When you go there from Indian conditions, where the ball doesn't swing, and he even gets the bowl to swing out while bowling from the edge of the crease, it is not very easy for the batter to play until you are used to those conditions and wickets."

Anderson has picked up 413 wickets in the 97 Tests he has played on English soil. The Lancastrian has snared 99 wickets in the 21 Tests he has played against Team India in familiar home conditions.

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"There has been a lot of change in Virat Kohli's batting between 2014 and 2022" - Rajkumar Sharma

Virat Kohli averaged 31.14 in the first four Tests of the series

On the flip side, Rajkumar concluded by highlighting the improvements in Virat Kohli's game since the ill-fated tour in 2014. He elaborated:

"But a good player like Virat, who accepts challenges, becomes even more determined, that he will not get out to him. There has been a lot of change in Virat's batting between 2014 and 2022, which he showed as well in 2018, he answered the questions about whether Virat can score runs in English conditions and he will want to continue that."

Virat Kohli has scored 945 runs at an average of 35.00 in the 14 away Tests he has played against England thus far. The former Indian skipper will hope to not only achieve the 1000-run milestone but also end his long wait for an international century.