ENG VS IND | Wanted to show Virat Kohli what it meant for us to dismiss him, says James Anderson
England pace bowler James Anderson has stated that he along with his teammates wanted to show Kohli how much his dismissal meant to them. Anderson also pointed out the fact that Kohli was always stoked after a dismissal and that he wanted to give the India skipper a taste of his own medicine.
James Anderson has dismissed Kohli seven times, including three in the the ongoing 5-Test series against India. There have also been times where the latter has put up a fight. Anderson explained how he was waiting to dismiss the India skipper in the first innings of the Leeds Test and that a lot of emotion was involved. The duel is all-set to intensify during the fourth Test at The Oval.
"When I got Kohli out in the first innings in Leeds there was a lot of emotion. It was the same as at Trent Bridge. I guess there is that extra something with him because he is such a good player and their captain as well. You see how much it means to him when his team takes a wicket so I want to show him what it means to us to get him out," explained Anderson while writing a column for the Telegraph.
The right-arm pacer also went on to share his thought process during his spell against the India skipper during the third Test at Headingley.
"The ultimate aim is to bowl in a partnership and there was a good example of us working together in India’s second innings at Headingley. For the first 12 balls I bowled at Virat Kohli, he left ten. Joe Root was asking me to try and make him play a bit more. I was thinking, ‘I don’t want him to get off to a flyer,’’ he added before signing off.
The five-match Test series is now levelled 1-1 and the fourth Test at The Oval is scheduled to start Thursday, September 2.