James Anderson rues Virat Kohli's absence in India-England Test series

The absence of Virat Kohli has cast a long shadow over the India-England Test series, with legendary England pacer James Anderson expressing his disappointment at missing out on a chance to face the Indian batting maestro.

Kohli opted out of the series citing personal reasons, having recently welcomed his second child with wife Anushka Sharma. Anderson, who has engaged in several memorable on-field battles with Kohli, lamented the star batter's absence.

"Yeah, you always want to play against the best players. And it's been a shame that he's not been a part of the series. We have had some great battles over the years," Anderson said on JioCinema.

Anderson acknowledged that Kohli's absence may have been a relief for England fans, but he emphasized the importance of facing the world's best players.

"I guess English fans will be thankful he's not playing because he's such a quality player. But from our point of view you want to test yourself, you want to come up against the best and he's been someone who I've found really challenging to bowl at over the years and it's a shame he's not been playing," Anderson added.

India have already secured an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series, with the fifth and final Test set to be played in Edgbaston. India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will return for the final Test, while batter KL Rahul will miss out again due to a quad injury.

Despite Kohli's absence, the series has been marked by intense competition and high-quality cricket. England will be looking to salvage some pride in the final Test, while India will aim to complete a memorable series victory.

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