Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Anderson 'excited' to go up against Kohli again

JAMES ANDERSON said he was "excited" by the prospect of facing India captain Virat Kohli again as two of the world's best cricketers prepare for yet another head-to-head clash.

Anderson is the first fast bowler to take 600 Test wickets, with Kohli one of the outstanding batsmen of his generation.


The pair are set to play key roles in a five-Test series that starts at Nottingham's Trent Bridge on Wednesday (4).

Recent England-India series in England have seen the spoils shared - Anderson dismissed Kohli four times in 2014 while Kohli scored two hundreds in 2018 without falling to the swing specialist.

"I'm definitely excited to play against him (Kohli) again," Anderson told a conference call on Tuesday (3).

'Riddled with talent'

Kohli has gone nearly two years without a Test hundred but still averages over 52 in the format.

"You always want to challenge yourself against the best in the world and he's certainly that," Anderson added.

"We know how big a player he is for them both as a batsman and as captain, he has a huge influence on that team.

"So we know he's a big wicket and, to be honest, I don't care if I get him out. As long as somebody gets him out that's the main thing. He's an important wicket.

"I think challenging yourself against the best in the world is really exciting and their top six is riddled with talent so it's going to be a big challenge for us seam bowlers."

But with neither Anderson nor new-ball partner Stuart Broad involved in the Hundred or One-Day Cup, the veteran pair have been doing more commentating than playing in recent weeks.

Since England's home series loss to New Zealand in June, Anderson has bowled just 22 overs for Lancashire and Broad 19.1 for Nottinghamshire.

"It's not ideal, but that's just the nature of this summer, unfortunately," said Anderson. "There's not been much red-ball cricket at this time of year."

England's 1-0 loss to New Zealand was their first series reverse on home soil since 2014 and Anderson said: "We're really really keen to improve from that New Zealand series earlier in the summer, where I don't feel we gave a great showing of ourselves. I think we can do much better than that."

England's team has included paceman Ollie Robinson for the first time since his debut appearance, in the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's, was overshadowed by the re-emergence of historic racist and sexist tweets.

The Sussex seamer was subsequently banned but is now free to resume his Test career, having taken seven wickets amid the off-field furore at the home of cricket.

"I think the way he dealt with it during the game at Lord's shows a lot about his character - he bowled brilliantly during that game," Anderson said.

"Everything that's gone on off the field is now behind him and he can just get on and hopefully, if he does play, carry on his good form in Test cricket."

(AFP)

More For You

Salman Rushdie

Rushdie was stabbed about 15 times: in the head, neck, torso and left hand, blinding his right eye and damaging his liver and intestines. (Photo: Getty Images)

Rushdie attack trial begins as jurors shown graphic details

JURORS heard how a knife attack on novelist Salman Rushdie unfolded in a matter of seconds at a 2022 New York talk and how close he came to death, in the prosecutor's opening statement on Monday (10) at the trial of the man accused of trying to murder the author.

A poet introducing the talk, on the subject of keeping writers safe from harm, was barely into his second sentence when defendant Hadi Matar bounded onto the Chautauqua Institution open-air stage and made about 10 running steps towards a seated Rushdie, Chautauqua District Attorney Jason Schmidt told the jury.

Keep ReadingShow less
Will Smith’s shout-out to Diljit Dosanjh sparks viral collaboration buzz

Will Smith’s comment on Diljit Dosanjh’s latest song sparks excitement among fans

Instagram/diljitdosanjh

Will Smith’s shout-out to Diljit Dosanjh sparks viral collaboration buzz

When Hollywood superstar Will Smith drops a comment on your Instagram post, you know something big is brewing. That’s exactly what happened when Diljit Dosanjh, the Punjabi music sensation, shared a snippet of his latest track, Tension, on social media. Smith, known for his iconic roles and global influence, left a simple yet impactful comment: “Fire!.” Diljit, clearly thrilled, responded with, “@willsmith BIG BROTHER 🦾.”

This brief exchange sent fans into a frenzy, with many speculating if a collaboration between the two stars is on the horizon. One fan wrote, “This is BIG!,” while another chimed in, “Hopefully, there are plans for you two to work together!”

Will Smith drops a "Fire!" comment on Diljit Dosanjh’s post, fuelling collaboration rumoursInstagram/diljitdosanjh

Keep ReadingShow less
Police halt Ed Sheeran’s street performance

Sheeran, who began his career as a busker in the UK, said later on his Instagram account that he did have permission to perform.

Police halt Ed Sheeran’s street performance in Bengaluru

A STREET performance by Ed Sheeran in Bengaluru was stopped abruptly by police last Sunday (9), outraging fans and prompting the British singer to issue a clarification.

Sheeran, dressed in a white t-shirt and shorts was seen singing and playing his guitar on a pavement in the centre of Bengaluru ahead of his concert last Sunday night.

Keep ReadingShow less
 Yvette-Cooper-Getty

Home secretary Yvette Cooper said employers had for too long been able to "exploit illegal migrants and too many people have been able to arrive and work illegally with no enforcement action ever taken". (Photo: Getty Images)

Immigration arrests up 73 per cent in January

UK immigration enforcement teams made more than 600 arrests in January, a 73 per cent increase on the same period a year ago, as part of the Labour government's plan to tackle undocumented migration and people smuggling gangs, officials said on Monday (10).

The 609 arrests, compared to 352 in January 2024, were made during visits to 800 premises including nail bars, restaurants, car washes and convenience stores, a government statement said.

Keep ReadingShow less
NIFFA 2025 to open with ‘Superboys of Malegaon,’ biggest line-up yet

Superboys of Malegaon’ set to open NIFFA 2025, Australia’s biggest Indian film festival

Instagram/shashank.arora

NIFFA 2025 to open with ‘Superboys of Malegaon,’ biggest line-up yet

The National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA) is gearing up for its most ambitious edition yet, bringing over 40 Indian films to Australian audiences. In collaboration with Dendy, the festival will showcase three world premieres and 36 Australian premieres, featuring a diverse mix of films across multiple Indian languages, including some never seen before in Australian theatres.

Reema Kagti’s much-anticipated Superboys of Malegaon will open the festival on February 13, 2025, with a grand red-carpet gala in Sydney. The film, which previously screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival, will travel across major cities, including Canberra, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Melbourne, before a nationwide release by Forum Films.

Keep ReadingShow less