Virat need to be work hard to play against Anderson - Glenn McGrath

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Former Australian fast bowler and one of the legends of the game, Glenn McGrath believes that James Anderson will have the upper hand against Virat Kohli when India will tour England in July. McGrath was talking to media in MRF pace foundation in Chennai. The legend has been a regular visitor in India since taking over as a director of MRF pace foundation in 2012.

He talked a lot about India's upcoming tour of England, the key factor for India in England, what Kohli need to do, Australia's ball-tampering scandal and more.



Here are some excerpts from his interview:

India will be playing a gruelling five-match Test series in England after the T20 and ODI series starting in July. Do you think they will be able to successfully adapt to the longer format?

A lot of it depends on the preparation time they have leading up to the Tests. You have got to adopt a lot quicker these days. Well, most guys have played in England before. Experience plays a big part in being able to adjust and adapt quicker. They have to rely on experience to take them through in England.



Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah have been in good form in the last few months. Will they hold the key for India in English conditions?

Yes, I think Bhuvi and Bumrah will hold the key. Both of them have got pretty good control. That's what you need in England. The Duke ball has got a pronounced seam. If you get the ball in the right areas consistently, it will do a little bit throughout and they will do well.

Bumrah did very well in his debut Test series in South Africa earlier this year. Does he have to do anything different in English conditions to replicate his success?



I expect Bumrah to do well in England too simply because of the way he bowls. He has got a unique action, but he bowls lengths that are challenging for the batsmen. He will enjoy bowling with the Duke ball. I actually think all the Indian pacers will have success in England. It's just a question of the batsmen getting enough runs.

Kohli versus James Anderson is expected to be the defining battle during the Test series. Kohli struggled last time around, averaging just 13.40 in five Tests. How do you see that contest shaping up?

Obviously, Kohli is a more experienced player this time around. There's no doubt that he's a quality batsman, but English conditions are pretty tough. When you have got a bowler like James Anderson who knows the conditions so well, it's going to be a lot of hard work for Kohli. He has to be prepared to work hard. He can't just go out and play his game and hit through the line. He has to be able to adapt. I'm looking forward to the battle.

In relation to the ball-tampering episode, the Australian team of the 2000s received a lot of criticism, with people saying that this culture emanated from there. What are your thoughts having been a part of that side?

I disagree with that completely. It was just a way that other teams and media used to have a go at the Australian team because they couldn't have a go at us for playing badly or anything else. It always annoyed me. I have spoken to captains from other teams of that era, and they never felt that Australians were the worst sledgers.

Virat Kohli had a miserable tour of England back in 2014 when he could score only 134 runs in 10 innings. However, his ODI record has been very impressive in England. He has scored 682 runs in 19 innings with an average of 52.46. Virat Kohli will be keen to improve his test record this time around.

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