James Anderson Joins Anil Kumble To Become The Joint Third-Highest Wicket-Taker In Test History

Published - 05 Aug 2021, 10:34 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 05:55 PM

James Anderson dominated Virat Kohli in 2014. Image-thetimes.co.uk

Champion England seamer James Anderson was once again at his absolute best on the second afternoon of the Nottingham Test against India as he broke the game open by dismissing both Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli within a space of two deliveries to peg back the visitors after they had got off to a brilliant start courtesy a 97-run-opening stand between KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma.

And, by doing that, the legendary pacer has joined former Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble to become the joint third-highest wicket taker in the history of Test match cricket.

Anderson, who is the leading wicket-taker among pacers in Test cricket and the only seamer to claim in excess of 600 scalps in the longestt format of the game, once again displayed his skills to the hilt on the second day to help England stage a fightback.

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India were going along nicely in the morning session when as Anderson troubled both KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma with his relentless accuracy and movement.

The Indian opening pair stitched 97 runs before Rohit Sharma once again squandered the start as he holed out at deep fine-leg while playing his trademark pull shot.

The dismissal of Rohit at the stroke of Lunch gave England an opening and James Anderson cashed in after the break as he knocked over Pujara and Kohli within a space of two deliveries.

Pujara was once again caught on the crease on a delivery that straightened off the seam to take a faint outside edge off his bat.

Anderson backed it up with an away angler and Virat Kohli, in an attempt to put bat on ball, ended up nicking it to Jos Buttler.

This was the first instance since Manchester 2014 where James Anderson managed to dismiss Virat Kohli in Test cricket and the dismissal gave him his 619th scalp in the longest format.

He could easily have claimed his 620th scalp in the form of KL Rahul but for Dom Sibley, who dropped a simple fact in the slip cordon.

Also Read- Watch: James Anderson Removes Virat Kohli For A Golden Duck