"We won't get to see the one final battle we could have seen between Jimmy Anderson and Virat Kohli" - Aakash Chopra on Kohli missing entire series
Aakash Chopra has observed that Virat Kohli opting out of the entire Test series between India and England might potentially deny the fans a chance to see a final battle between him and James Anderson.
The selectors named the Indian squad for the final three Tests against England on Saturday, February 10. Kohli, who missed the first two Tests due to personal reasons, has opted out of the remaining three games of the five-match series as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra urged everyone not to speculate about the reason behind Kohli's absence. However, he acknowledged that the modern batting great's unavailability might have ended hopes of a final contest between him and Anderson, saying (0:01):
"Forget about two matches, Virat Kohli isn't available for the entire series. No one knows the reason, so you and I are not going to speculate. We won't get to see the one final battle we could have seen between Jimmy Anderson and Virat Kohli. It's absolutely fine."
The former India opener believes compelling reasons would have forced Kohli to miss the entire series.
"I am sure there are pressing reasons, or else Kohli hasn't missed an entire series like this in his entire career. I remember him missing the Australia series, where he played the first match, the pink-ball Test match where India were all out for 36 and then he wasn't available for the entire series," Chopra stated.
Chopra noted that the Indian batting mainstay has always given utmost importance to Test cricket. He said:
"He went home on paternity leave. Before or after that, he has never taken such a long leave, and especially in Test cricket. Virat Kohli is the poster boy of cricket, all three formats, but Test cricket is closest to his heart."
Chopra added that Kohli might have let go of ODIs and T20Is if he had been asked to take a break in those formats but was always eager to play Test cricket even if it was against weaker opponents.
"It wasn't really a fair contest" - Aakash Chopra on the potential battle between Virat Kohli and James Anderson in India
![James Anderson has dismissed Virat Kohli seven times in Tests. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/02/46737-17076208698009-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra opined that the face-off between Virat Kohli and James Anderson in India wouldn't have been an even battle. He stated (2:50):
"One thing was definitely there, Jimmy Anderson would have been in front of him, one final time maybe, but it's also true that the No. 4 position at which Kohli comes to bat and the conditions that are there, it wasn't really a fair contest."
The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that the scales would have been heavily titled in Kohli's favor. He added that the contest would have been more even in English conditions.