Former England captain Nasser Hussain expressed optimism about the potential return of Indian superstar Virat Kohli for the remainder of the India-England Test series. Kohli had missed the first two Tests due to personal reasons, but his comeback status for the remaining matches is uncertain. The anticipation is high for Kohli’s return as it would reignite his celebrated rivalry with veteran England pacer James Anderson, a battle that has been a highlight of Test cricket over the past decade.
In their initial encounters, the Englishman James Anderson often got the better of the former Indian captain Virat Kohli. However, in their recent clashes, the tables have turned in favor of Kohli. Kohli currently boasts an average of 43.60 against Anderson in Test matches, with Anderson dismissing him on seven occasions.
Nasser Hussain Is Eager For Virat Kohli vs James Anderson Battle
During a Q&A session for the Daily Mail, Nasser Hussain expressed his belief that Kohli’s return to the Indian squad would inject a sense of ruthlessness into the team’s approach. He said:
“I hope he does come back because the only thing this series has been missing is the battle between Kohli and Jimmy Anderson. I’m looking forward to that,”
He added: “The one thing about India is that in three of their four innings they have been a bit sloppy. I know Rahul Dravid and he would have been ticking inside at some of the dismissals so far. India will think, ‘We keep on giving England a sniff here, let’s be more ruthless’. And the one thing Kohli is, is absolutely ruthless,”
“If Virat Kohli is back for the last 3 Tests, then a more ruthless version of the Indian team can be seen on the field”
Although Kohli’s Test average against England stands at 42.36, his overall home average in the red-ball format is an impressive 60.05.
Anderson was absent from England’s 28-run victory in the series opener in Hyderabad but made a comeback in the playing XI for the second Test in Visakhapatnam. Despite his commendable performance with match figures of 5/76, England succumbed to a 106-run defeat.
“Bairstow’s an excellent player and just needs to convert one of his starts. It wasn’t just him. All of the England batters got in and got out again in Vizag. Jonny will know if Brook does go to India he will need to be clinical and get a big score. But this England side have shown faith in players and I expect them to show faith in Bairstow,” said Hussain.
The third Test between India and England will commence in Rajkot on February 15, following a 10-day hiatus.
Nasser Hussain said, “If Virat Kohli is back for the last 3 Tests, then a more ruthless version of the Indian team can be seen on the field”. (Daily Mail). pic.twitter.com/H2vsjtDfdc
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 7, 2024
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