Zaheer Khan opens up on James Anderson vs Virat Kohli tussle in Birmingham Test

Former Indian pace bowler Zaheer Khan said that fans might witness the battle between legendary speedster James Anderson and the swashbuckling batter Virat Kohli one more time in international cricket during the upcoming Test in Birmingham.

Anderson, along with another pacer Stuart Broad, was dropped from the Test series in the West Indies earlier this year following their poor show in the Ashes. Both, however, recently played in the three-match Test series against New Zealand at home. Notably, Anderson also claimed 11 scalps in two Tests before being rested for the third match.

While speaking about the rivalry, Zaheer Khan has said during a discussion on Cricbuzz: "The more you watch this battle, the more you enjoy it. But yes, I feel we might be seeing this battle for the last time. Anderson is not playing many matches these days and seems quite close to retirement. There might be a big gap after this when it comes to the next India-England Test series,"

While talking about what to expect from the Anderson-Kohli battle in the rescheduled Test, Zaheer added: "It should be exciting without a doubt. During the previous series, we witnessed Anderson moving the ball rather impressively. He will pose problems for the batters for sure. Virat Kohli might also be troubled a bit. After all, it is never easy against Anderson, and it will be a good challenge for Kohli,"

Virat Kohli has faced 681 deliveries against James Anderson in the longer format and scored 297 runs while being dismissed seven times by the veteran as well. Meanwhile, during IPL 2022, there was a considerable debate over Kohli's presence as many believed he should be rested to find his rhythm back. 

He played all the matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the T20 league, during which he faced three golden ducks and was subsequently rested for the T20I series against South Africa at home.

When asked whether a break could help Kohli overcome his poor form, Zaheer Khan opined that there is no such rule like this. However, Virat Kohli did well in the four-day warm-up match against Leicestershire in Leicester, scoring 33 and 67, respectively. And he is expected to do well in the Test too.

He concluded: "Whether or not a player needs a break depends on the cricketer himself. There is no set formula. It is not as if you should take a break if you're in bad form or that you will come back to form if you practice a lot. It's up to the individual to decide,"