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Anderson-Kohli Test Rivalry To Revive As Rob Key Places Bet On Jasprit Bumrah And Joe Root

Akshita Patel

India-England series to see new rivalry [Source: @ICC, @cricketverse_/X.com]India-England series to see new rivalry [Source: @ICC, @cricketverse_/X.com]

England’s Men’s Cricket Managing Director, Rob Key, believes the upcoming five-match Test series between India and England will witness a fierce battle between Jasprit Bumrah and Joe Root, much like the famous rivalry between Virat Kohli and James Anderson in past series.

The India-England Test series begins on June 20, 2025, and will mark the start of the new World Test Championship cycle for both teams. 

While this series won’t feature some legendary names like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, James Anderson, and Stuart Broad, Rob Key feels the excitement will still be high.

ECB Director Predicts New Rivalry In India-England Tests

With James Anderson and Virat Kohli both retired from the Test format, England’s Cricket Director Rob Key believes the rivalry between the two sides won’t be toned down.

Taking to TOI, he opined that India’s Jasprit Bumrah and England’s Joe Root can still keep the competition alive and transform into the next big rivalry in Test cricket. Bumrah has already dismissed Root 9 times in Tests, and the England batter will be keen to turn the tables in this high-stakes series. 

“I watch the young Indian players coming through. I believe that with the talent I see in white-ball cricket, even in the IPL, talented players can adapt much easier than people think. You don’t need to have played 50-100 red-ball games to be able to put your best foot forward in Test cricket. And those rivalries will emerge. You’ve got probably one of our best players, if not the best — Joe Root — against one of the best bowlers I’ve seen in Bumrah. So that’s going to be a fascinating contest," Key told TOI via (India Today).

Rob Key also praised the new generation of cricketers, saying many players coming from the IPL and white-ball formats are adapting well to Test cricket. 

Rob Key Excited To See Battle Of Wicket-Keepers

England’s Cricket Director Rob Key also shared his excitement about watching wicket-keepers Rishabh Pant and Jamie Smith in action. He praised their aggressive and entertaining batting styles, calling them players capable of delivering “counter punches.” 

“Rishabh Pant and Jamie Smith, those two wicketkeepers that play in such a captivating style, have the ability to throw counter punches,” he added.

Pant had scored a brilliant 146 in his last Test in England, rescuing India from 98/5. Meanwhile, Smith has made a strong start to his Test career, scoring 641 runs in his first 10 matches.