'Virat stood there motionless but had to go': Lloyd hails 'old warhorse' Anderson for dismissing 'gladiator' Kohli

The Anderson vs Kohli battle was always going to be the cynosure of all eyes in the series, and at Trent Bridge, it was the veteran England pacer who drew first blood against the India captain.

Former England cricketer David Lloyd was impressed with the way James Anderson silenced India by dismissing Virat Kohli out for a first-ball duck in the first innings of the Nottingham Test. The first Test of the series between India and England ended in a draw with rain washing out the final day's play but Anderson dismissing Kohli for a duck remains one of the talking points from the match.

Virat Kohli and James Anderson. (Reuters/AP)

The Anderson vs Kohli battle was always going to be the cynosure of all eyes in the series, and at Trent Bridge, it was the veteran England pacer who drew first blood against the India captain. On Day 2 of the Test match, Anderson had dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara shortly after lunch, which brought the India captain out in the middle.

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However, his stay at the crease lasted only one ball as he nicked Anderson's first ball to wicket-keeper Jos Buttler to be dismissed for a golden duck. Lloyd loved the battle between the two greats and appreciated 'warhorse' Anderson getting the wood over 'gladiator' Kohli.

"What a moment of theatre when Jimmy Anderson got Virat Kohli first ball. The India captain's entrance was like a gladiator’s but the old warhorse produced the ball of the game. The elation and emotion of Anderson contrasted with the despair of Kohli, who stood there motionless but had to go. A great piece of Test cricket and one not to miss," Lloyd wrote in The Daily Mail.

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The Anderson-Kohli face-off is likely taking place for the last time with the veteran England pacer in the twilight of his international career. This is the sixth instance that Anderson has dismissed Kohli in Test matches. During India's 2014 tour of England, Anderson picked up Kohli's wicket four times, while getting him out once in a Test match in India in 2016. In 2018, Kohli scored 593 runs in the five-Test series but ensured he did not lose his wicket to Anderson even once.