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Nasser Hussain is eagerly anticipating the clash between Virat Kohli and James Anderson in the current India-England Test series. Although Anderson was absent from the opening Test in Hyderabad, he made a significant impact in Visakhapatnam, claiming five wickets. Meanwhile, Kohli sat out the first two Tests for personal reasons, leaving fans and commentators alike speculating about his potential return for the series' concluding matches.
Hussain has expressed his excitement at the prospect of Kohli's participation in the remaining three Tests, suggesting that his presence could introduce a more formidable Indian side on the field. Despite his absence from the initial matches, there's a buzz around Kohli's potential return, which could see India's batting lineup strengthened for the series' continuation.
"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 said in a Q&A session for the Daily Mail.
"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," Hussain said.
Anderson has frequently outsmarted Kohli in their international cricket encounters, dismissing the Indian batter 10 times across 37 matches. Specifically, in Test cricket, Anderson has claimed Kohli's wicket 7 times in 25 matches.
Virat Kohli away from cricket due to personal reasons
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) acknowledged Kohli's withdrawal from the first two Tests due to personal commitments, following discussions with captain Rohit Sharma. The team faced setbacks with the loss of key players KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja after a defeat in Hyderabad, further highlighting the significance of Kohli's role in the team's dynamics.
England, under Ben Stokes' leadership, returned to Dubai to regroup before the third Test in Rajkot, scheduled to begin on February 15. The English squad had initially prepared in Dubai, focusing on acclimatization and practice ahead of the series.
Who misses out if Virat Kohli and KL Rahul return?
Kohli's return could potentially see changes in the batting order, with Rajat Patidar and Shreyas Iyer possibly making way. Both have shown promise, but have faced challenges in converting starts into significant scores. Kohli, on the verge of surpassing 2,000 runs against England, would only need nine more runs to join the elite ranks of Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar as the third Indian to achieve this milestone.
Hussain's anticipation of the Kohli-Anderson duel adds an extra layer of excitement to the upcoming matches, promising cricket fans around the world a spectacle of skill and competition.
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