Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir has heaped rich praises on Virat Kohli following the India captain’s terrific knock of 79 runs on Day 1 of the Cape Town Test.
Kohli’s 79-run knock has earned him immense praise from all corners for his restraint of chasing deliveries well outside the off-stump, the way he had got out in both the innings in the first Test.
Kohli took 16 balls to make his first run – a gorgeous cover drive ouncer to a full ball – and finished with 12 fours and a six to take India to a first innings total of 223.
Gautam Gambhir commended the Indian skipper’s control over poking or driving outside the off-stump. He pointed out that Kohli attained great success on the 2018 tour of England while showing similar abstinence to not chase deliveries that he could have left easily.
During a discussion with Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir said, “Virat has said many times that when you go to England, you should leave behind your ego in India. Today, Virat Kohli left behind his ego in the kit bag and this knock reminds me of his very successful tour of England, where he got beaten many times but left a lot of deliveries outside off-stump.”
Gautam Gambhir emphasized the word “ego”, something which has been often used when talking about Virat Kohli throughout his career.
The former KKR captain lauded Kohli for suppressing his instincts to play at deliveries in that fourth and fifth stump channel while absorbing all the pressure of the dot balls against a high-class and relentless South African pace bowling attack.
“Today, in the same way, he left deliveries outside off-stump, he got beaten as well but kept his ego with himself. He did not try to dominate the bowlers on every delivery,” Gambhir concluded.
Kohli, however, didn’t got much support from the other hand as India were bundled out for a below-par total.
The onus is once again on the bowling attack to keep the visitors in the game. Jasprit Bumrah had drawn the first blood late in the day when he dismissed the Protea skipper, Dean Elgar.
