Virat Kohli is averaging 20.66 after three innings, which started with James Anderson dismissing him for a golden duck at Trent Bridge.
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England fast bowler James Anderson has taken a jibe at Team India skipper Virat Kohli, following his less than spectacular performances so far in the ongoing five-match Test series against India. Kohli is averaging 20.66 in the three innings he batted so far, which is certainly not the tally expected from a player of his calibre. The 32-year-old has enjoyed limited success against English bowlers, with Anderson gleefully highlighting the same in his column for the UK Telegraph.
“We have to remember Virat is averaging 20 in the series, proving we have bowled well at a great player – but I would rather he was averaging 80 and we were 1-0 up,” he stated as quoted by Fox Sports.
Anderson further discussed the controversial heated confrontation between him and the Team India skipper during the second Test in Lord’s.
“The emotion got the better of me and I felt I had to say something. I felt bad for doing that because it drew attention away from Rooty (Joe Root) celebrating an amazing innings as he came off the field. I apologised to him afterwards for that but the emotion got the better of me. It happens sometimes.”
The England pacer stated that his attitude was more fitting of England’s squad back in 2010-11, which comprised of aggressive players like Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann, Matt Prior and Stuart Broad.
“They were similar to Kohli in some respects. They liked the battle on the field. Now we go about our cricket in a different way so I have to remember that when I am on the field. It is pointless just one person getting into a fight with someone. When you come across someone as animated as Virat on the field, he can rub people up the wrong way. It is one of those things,” he stated.
“You come across all sorts of characters in cricket and there are many, many more I have played against who are more competitive than him and I have managed to deal with them, so it is just a case of trying to put a real focus on the cricket rather than the noise that comes with it,” added Anderson.
Kohli has stated that neither he nor his players will be looking to back down when the third Test at Headingley begins.
“It just showed this team is not going to back down and take a backward step when provoked,” said the Team India skipper after the second Test over India’s retaliation.
“What is said on the field and what’s done in the moment, gives you extra motivation, as I said after the game, to get together as a team even more strongly. We play together, we play to win and we don’t let anyone or any opposition just take us lightly. We know and they know that we are always going to compete and find ways to win games of cricket,” he concluded.
