'It's a shame he's not been playing' - James Anderson on Virat Kohli's absence from Test series

The rivalry between Virat Kohli and James Anderson has been extremely intense, especially in Test cricket. Ahead of India’s series against England, Kohli versus Anderson was one of the hottest topics in the cricketing world, but the fans were denied of the entertainment after the star batter decided to opt out of the series citing personal reasons. Meanwhile, Anderson recently stated that it’s a shame that Kohli is not part of the series but added that it’s good for the visitors, as he can take the game away from England’s hands.

The speedster added that he wants to compete with the best cricketers in the world and mentioned that Kohli is right up there. He also revealed that it was a challenge for him to bowl to Kohli over the years, and that he has enjoyed his battles with the batter.

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“Yeah, you always want to play against the best players. And it’s been a shame that he’s not been a part of the series. We have had some great battles over the years. But not just for me, I think as a team you want to play against the best in the world, and he certainly is that,” Anderson said on JioCinema.

“I guess English fans will be thankful he’s not playing because he’s such a quality player. But from our point of view you want to test yourself, you want to come up against the best, and he’s been someone who I’ve found really challenging to bowl at over the years, and it’s a shame he’s not been playing,” the pacer added.

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Meanwhile, Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma recently gave birth to their baby boy, Akaay. The New Delhi-born cricketer was last spotted in London and is expected to come back to India soon to play in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. However, there is no update on his return, but the cricketer is expected to resume practice soon as the upcoming IPL will be very crucial for him as it can help him earn a ticket to the upcoming T20 World Cup.