India’s innovative batsman Virat Kohli, who put up his Test jersey after 14 glorious years, was hailed as “one of the greatest Test batters” by the renowned England speedster James Anderson. This highlights India’s broad skill pool, which can replace the vacuum left by even someone of Kohli’s caliber.

Known as India’s most successful Test captain, Kohli concluded his red-ball career on Monday, capping a career that lasted over 14 years and leaving behind an enduring legacy.

When he was at his best, the right-handed superstar seemed to be on track to surpass the famous Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most runs and hundreds. The Indian bigshot retired after playing 123 Test matches for India and scoring 30 hundreds.

But when he declared his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, Kohli, who amassed 9230 runs at an average of 46.85 and led his nation 68 times—the most by any Indian captain—ended all the goals.

“Excellent athletes. Sharma has retired, thus a new captain will take over. One of the best Test batsmen in history is Virat Kohli. “They have a lot of talent in their squad, but they have big shoes to fill,” Anderson said on TalkSport.

For almost ten years, Kohli’s rivalry with Anderson, which often occurred during Test matches between India and England, developed into a narrative with several noteworthy incidents, and his affair with England seamers is a story that will be repeated for generations to come.

Kohli was out to the England speed ace seven times while scoring 305 runs at an average of 43.57 against him. During India’s 2014 Test tour of England, Kohli had a terrifying experience as Anderson regularly dismissed him.

But four years later, he made a fantastic return, tormenting one of the best pacers in the game and becoming the tour’s top run scorer.

“You simply must watch the IPL.” He said, “They are now bringing players from the IPL who are just so aggressive, fearless, and attacking into Test cricket.”

India will start a five-match Test series visit of England on June 20 after the IPL 2025 concludes.

With the Ashes approaching, this year is crucial for England, but it’s also critical to build some momentum. Looking back on my career, I must admit that it occurred too often. Eighteen months after an Ashes, the players and management began to focus on it and really forgot what was in front of them. Even at home, India is going to be a very difficult task. “They are a powerful side,” Anderson said.