Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes the ongoing five-Test match series between India and England has reached an exciting juncture.
With England having won the first Test in Hyderabad, the hosts came back into the contest with a 106-run win in Visakhapatnam earlier this week.
But despite it being at level pegging, there has been one notable absence in the series, Hussain noted in a recent chat with Daily Mail – the absence of India’s talismanic batter Virat Kohli, and his contest with England’s star seamer James Anderson.
“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,” Hussain told the English daily.
Over the years, Anderson and Kohli have had riveting duels in the red-ball format. Kohli’s first Test series in England in 2014 saw Anderson dish out his fabled pearlers and remove the Indian batter four times, conceding a mere 16 runs off the 50 deliveries he bowled to the first time touring batter. Four years later, Kohli would have the better of the Englishman – remaining not out across the 270 deliveries and scoring 114 runs off Anderson. Anderson had termed their battles in 2021 as ‘my favorite contest with Virat’. Across the four Tests, he’d dismissed Kohli twice, while the latter scored 72 runs off 162 balls against him.
In terms of the ongoing series, Hussain pressed on the importance of Kohli in the Indian batting lineup.
“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,” he said.
Earlier on Thursday, The Indian Express had reported that Kohli’s return to the Indian team will be delayed as the star batsman is certain to miss the third Test against England in the ongoing five-match series.
Three days before the series began, Kohli had told the Indian team management and selectors that he wanted a break. In its press release, the BCCI had stated that, ‘While representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention. The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management has extended its support to the star batter’.
In his absence, Rohit Sharma and Co are currently 1-1 against the visitors.
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“We’re going to have some fun! India are favourites, I said that before a ball was bowled, but the next three games will be enjoyable because of the way this England side play. And because India are going to get better,” Hussain believes.
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