James Anderson admitted that his rivalry with Virat Kohli during the recent India-England Test series was his favourite and both players have mutual respect for each other when off the field.

Anderson managed to dismiss Virat Kohli twice in the recent Test series and had an upper hand over the Indian skipper.

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The 39-year-old admitted his dual with Kohli was his favourite of this summer.

“This summer was probably my favourite contest with Virat. We’ve had a few good battles over the years, both in England and India, but this year has certainly my favourite,” Anderson told Fox Cricket’s Road to the Ashes podcast.

“I got him out a few times but also he got some runs as well, and we had a battle on the field where there was definitely mutual respect. It was in a nice manner. Obviously, we were going against each other, but it was in a well-spirited way. So, I really enjoyed that,” he added.

India were 2-1 up in the five-match Test series going into the fifth Test. The covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp forced both cricket boards to cancel the fifth Test.

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Anderson says he is focusing on Australia’s mainstay Steve Smith as the Ashes series is approaching. This will be Anderson’s ninth Ashes and fifth in Australia.

“As a bowler, you always look at the best player, and for me over the last three, four or five years, Steve Smith’s been Australia’s best player,” he said.

“He’s been the one they rely on for their volume of runs, obviously supported by guys around him like David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne recently. But he’s been their go-to in the last few years, so he’ll be the one that we will be keen to get out early,” he added.

The Ashes will commence from December 8 in Brisbane.