Anderson laments Virat Kohli's absence from Test Series as 'DISSAPOINTING' for IND vs ENG showdown

India won the fourth Test against England by five wickets. After holding England to 353 and 145 in the first and second innings, India replied with 307 runs and comfortably chased down the 192-run mark in the second innings. Dhruv Jurel's impressive efforts, including 90 and 39 not out, won him Player of the Match honours. This victory gives India a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, following a dramatic Test match at the JSCA International Stadium Complex. India will play their fifth and final Test match against England on March 7, 2024, at Dharamshala's HPCA Stadium.

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James Anderson made a huge statement about Virat Kohli’s absence in the ENG series 

James Anderson expressed unhappiness with Virat Kohli's absence from the ongoing Test series between India and England. The legendary England bowler recognised his rivalry with Kohli on the pitch, having dismissed the star batsman ten times. Anderson did, however, recognise Kohli's talent, noting that the Indian captain had scored 331 runs against him in their previous meetings.

Kohli's decision to withdraw from the series was based on personal grounds, as he and wife Anushka Sharma had their second child, a newborn boy called Akaay, last month. This development made Anderson and the England squad think on the absence of one of the world's best batters.

In an interview with JioCinema, Anderson stated his excitement about playing Kohli, whom he sees as one of the best in the world. Despite their intense rivalry, Anderson expressed admiration for Kohli's talent and the opportunity to fight against him on the pitch. James Anderson said: 

“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,”

“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,” 

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Anderson said that although some England supporters might have been happy that Kohli was not playing in the series, he personally was looking forward to the challenge. Anderson has regarded Kohli to be a tough opponent and a guy who poses a serious challenge to bowlers throughout his career.

India triumphed spectacularly in Ranchi to secure the series against England in spite of Kohli's absence. With this victory, the hosts took a decisive 3-1 lead in the series. The series' last game is set to take place in Dharamshala starting on March 7.

With eight wickets from six innings thus far in the series, Anderson has had a successful outing personally. Interestingly, he did not start in the starting eleven for the first Test in Hyderabad, but he has had a major influence ever since.