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"Big Shoes To Fill" James Anderson Turns Arch-Rival Virat Kohli Into 'GOAT'  Of Test Cricket

Akshita Patel

 James Anderson reacts to Virat Kohli's Test retirement [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X.com] James Anderson reacts to Virat Kohli's Test retirement [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X.com]

Virat Kohli, one of India’s greatest Test cricketers, announced his retirement from the format on May 12, 2025. After his announcement, legendary England fast bowler James Anderson praised him highly and called him the ‘GOAT’ of the Test format.

Kohli’s decision surprised many, especially since it came just weeks before India’s important Test series against England. In his 14-year-long career, he played 123 Test matches, scoring 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries.

Meanwhile, while Kohli had many arch-enemies on the field throughout his career, he surely earned their respect off the field. 

James Anderson Drops Big Praise On Virat Kohli 

Days after Virat Kohli publicly stepped down from the Test format, legendary England fast bowler James Anderson dropped big praise on him. He referred to Kohli as one of the greatest Test batters and admitted that Indian cricket has big shoes to fill.

Anderson also talked about Rohit Sharma, who retired from Test cricket earlier this month. With both Kohli and Rohit gone, India’s Test team will have a new leader. However, Anderson is confident about India’s future. He said that India’s young players, especially those coming from the IPL, are fearless and full of talent. 

"Great players. There will be a new captain because Sharma has retired. Kohli, one of the greatest Test batters who's ever been. There are big shoes to fill there, but they've got a huge amount of talent in their squad. You just have to watch the IPL. They are bringing players into Test cricket from the IPL now who are just so attacking, aggressive, and fearless," Anderson told Talksport.

James Anderson had a unique rivalry with Virat Kohli in Test cricket, as he dismissed him 7 times, the joint most alongside Nathan Lyon.

India Lacking Replacements For Kohli, Rohit?

With both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retiring from Test cricket this May, Team India faces a major transition. Former India selector and current Delhi head coach Sarandeep Singh has issued a strong reality check that there are no true replacements for these two legends. He explained that both legends used to be match winners, and their passion and consistency are unmatched.