No Test cricket rivalry has intrigued fans like the one between Virat Kohli and James Anderson. The world’s most successful batter of his generation pitted against England’s finest ever paceman, this was bound to be box-office.
Their statistics against each other, though, narrate an interesting tale of pressure, resistance, and reversing fortunes over ten years.
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Kohli vs Anderson: The Numbers
- Runs: 305
- Balls Faced: 710
- Dismissals: 7
- Batting Average: 43.6
- Strike Rate: 43.0
- Dot Balls: 560 (~79% of balls faced)
- Boundaries: 39 fours, 0 sixes
These stats reveal one clear theme: Anderson rarely allowed Kohli to score freely. Nearly four out of every five deliveries faced were dots, keeping Kohli under constant pressure.
Early Struggles: 2012–2014
Kohli’s toughest years against Anderson came early.
- 2012: Dot ball % was 79.44%, with Kohli contributing a mere 23 runs from 81 balls.
- 2014: Anderson got Kohli out four times, limiting him to a mere 19 runs from 50 balls. Dot ball % skyrocketed to 81.55%, with nearly no strike rotation (7 runs off singles, mere 12 off boundaries).
Verdict: Anderson utterly dominated the young Kohli, piling pressure through dots and striking whenever he pushed back.
Fightback: 2016–2018
Then came the turnaround.
- 2016: Kohli faced 112 balls, scored 69 runs, and crucially, was never dismissed. Dot% dropped to 49.25%, and he balanced his scoring between 32 boundary runs and 37 from singles/rotation.
- 2018: The peak of Kohli’s mastery. Against Anderson, he batted 270 balls, scored 114 runs, and again was never dismissed. Dot% % fell further to 40.56%, with 52 runs in boundaries and 62 from rotation.
Verdict: This was Kohli at his very best — patient, composed, and capable of defusing Anderson’s biggest weapon: dot-ball pressure.
Anderson Strikes Back: 2021–2022
In the latter years, Anderson fought back.
- 2021: Kohli made 72 runs off 168 balls, getting out twice. Dot% % reached 53.11%, and his rotation fell once more (28 runs off singles compared to 44 off boundaries).
- 2022: Anderson’s supremacy came back in force. Kohli could muster only 8 runs from 29 deliveries, with a record 91.19% dot-ball ratio. Boundaries: 4, Other Runs: 4. Kohli was beaten, unable to score or thrive.
Verdict: James Anderson asserted authority, demonstrating how, even against a great batter, experience and precision work in the end.
Patterns That Define the Rivalry
Dot-Ball Domination
- Career dot-ball % = 79%, better than Kohli v Mitchell Starc (~74%).
- Anderson’s real tool wasn’t wickets, but suffocating run flow.
Boundaries vs Rotation:
- When Kohli combined boundaries and singles (2016–18), he triumphed.
- When singles evaporated (2012, 2014, 2022), Anderson was in control.
No Sixes:
- Over 710 balls faced, Kohli never hit Anderson for a six.
- A testament to patience and caution, this battle was about survival, not attacking.
Final Verdict: Who Won?
- Anderson’s control: 7 dismissals, dot pressure above 75% in most years, strike rate held at just 43.
- Kohli’s resilience: Respectable average of 43.6, epic fightback in 2016–18 (183 runs without dismissal).
Overall
- 2012–14 & 2021–22 → Anderson clearly on top.
- 2016–18 → Kohli fought back and dominated.
This rivalry was less about flashy dominance and more about mental toughness. Anderson’s consistency and patience forced Kohli into long battles, while Kohli’s grit during his peak years showed why he is one of the best Test batters in the world.
Conclusion
Virat Kohli vs James Anderson in Test cricket is the ultimate definition of the elegance of the format. Not all battles are about hundreds or wickets. Occasionally, it’s about dot balls, grit, and the slightest margins. For the fans, this battle is a reminder: greatness is tested not when you overwhelm, but when you dig in under pressure.
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