Virat Kohli is arguably the best batsman of the current generation and James Anderson is one of the greatest fast-blowers of all time. It is always a great battle to watch when the two lock horns.
Anderson got Kohli caught behind for seven runs on day one of the third Test at Headingley, Leeds. The England pacer has now dismissed Kohli seven times in Test cricket, joint most for any bowler in the format.
Anderson said that dismissing Kohli was special for him and that it is important to keep the Indian captain quiet.
"I think so (it was special). We have had some great battles over the years. He is someone you want to keep quiet. Especially, in a five-match series, if he gets going he can be very disruptive," James Anderson said at the virtual press conference.
Anderson picked opener KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara in a similar fashion to peg back India within the first hour. When asked how he continues to be in his best form, the 39-year-old Anderson revealed that he works harder in the gym.
"As I get older, I feel like I have to work that little bit harder in the gym. I feel like I bowl less in the nets, and try to save it for when it matters in the middle. The biggest test in Test cricket is mentally getting yourself up for bowling big spells and playing in big games. It's about keeping yourself switch on through games and switch off when you are not bowling -- that's something I've always had," he added.
Talking about his troubling right shoulder, he said: "It still hurts. You just find a way of putting up with it. it's just part and parcel of the job."
The pacer added that they had to “shut all the noise” and focus on the job after all the talks post the Lord’s Test.
“We have made a conscious effort of trying to just focus on us, on what we do well and try and ignore everything else, the outside noise or wherever there might be going on, and make sure there's a real focus on what we do well," the fast bowler signed off.
(With PTI inputs)
