As England and India gear up for their five-match Test series starting June 20, the series will now be played for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, a new name given by the ECB to honour two legends of the game. England’s pace great James Anderson, who retired from Test cricket in 2024, recently spoke about his experiences bowling to two Indian icons Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar.

“Kohli Raised His Game”: James Anderson Talks About Bowling to Kohli and Tendulkar

Anderson shared how Kohli became a much tougher player over time. “He had taken his game to a different level. It wasn’t just me, he made things hard for all bowlers. In the first series, I got him out four or five times, but in the next one, I couldn’t get him out even once,” Anderson said.

He was referring to the 2014 Test series in England, when Kohli was still new to Test cricket. Back then, Kohli struggled outside the off stump, and Anderson kept bowling in that area. The plan worked well, and he got Kohli out four times in the series. Kohli scored just 134 runs in five Tests, a series he’d like to forget.

🇮🇳 "He had his 'god-like' presence & when you played against him in India it was incredible."

🏏 "As Virat's career went on, that become more & more like that for him."

Jimmy Anderson reflects on bowling to both Sachin Tendulkar & Virat Kohli

📺 WATCH: https://t.co/7PrEmrKKcy pic.twitter.com/NJaLCqyZyf

— talkSPORT Cricket (@Cricket_TS) June 16, 2025

But the story didn’t stay the same. Kohli came back stronger. “You could see a clear change. He had that tough mindset and confidence that made him very difficult to bowl to,” Anderson added.

*James Anderson* said - "*Virat Kohli* is the toughest batter I have bowled to in the Fab 4. I have found it more difficult to bowl to Kohli than Sachin Tendulkar". (TalkSport podcast) pic.twitter.com/H6Xkj1rE2c

— Shankar lal jat sargaon 🏏 (@jatShankar971) June 17, 2025

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Talking about Sachin Tendulkar, Anderson said the experience was different. “When I first bowled to Sachin, he was already a global star. With him, there wasn’t a big change like with Kohli. But still, getting him out was never easy,” he said.

Anderson dismissed Tendulkar nine times and Kohli seven times in Test cricket more than any other bowler. But even with those numbers, Anderson said both players tested his skills in different ways. With the new Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, fans will be reminded of the legendary duels between bat and ball that shaped many unforgettable Test matches over the years.