Experienced England bowler James Anderson is on the brink of a monumental achievement in cricket. At 41 years old, he stands just two wickets away from becoming the first fast bowler to reach the historic 700-wicket milestone in Test matches. Anderson has amassed an impressive tally of 698 wickets from 186 Test matches for England.

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James Anderson missed bowling to Virat Kohli in IND vs ENG Test series

Ahead of the fifth and final Test match between India and England in Dharamsala, where James Anderson is anticipated to reach this remarkable feat, the Lancashire stalwart shared his thoughts on the absence of Indian batsman Virat Kohli from the series.

Virat Kohli's absence from the ongoing Test series between India and England is due to his family commitments. Initially slated to participate in the series, Kohli had to withdraw at the last minute due to the birth of his second child with Bollywood actor and wife Anushka Sharma. The couple welcomed their son, Akaay, on February 15.

Discussing Kohli's absence from the much-anticipated contest, Anderson expressed regret that a batsman of his caliber was not involved in the series. Anderson reflected on the memorable clashes he's had with Kohli over the years. Note, this could potentially be Anderson's final appearance in India. Fans would have relished witnessing renewed duels between him and Kohli on the pitch.

"You always want to play against the best players. And it's been a shame that he's (Virat Kohli) not been a part of the series. We have had some great battles over the years," James Anderson said.  

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James Anderson also revealed that one Indian bowler who has significantly influenced him is Zaheer Khan. Anderson credited Zaheer for being a source of inspiration and learning during his initial years, particularly in mastering the technique of reverse swing.

"For me, Zaheer Khan was someone I used to watch a lot to try and learn from. How he used the reverse swing, how he covered the ball when he ran into bowl, that's something I tried to sort of develop on the back of playing against him quite a few times here," Anderson told JioCinema.

(With inputs from PTI)