Even as India lost the first Test against South Africa in Centurion by an innings, Virat Kohli salvaged some pride for the visitors with his knock of 76 runs in 82 balls.
While the other Indian batters failed terribly in the second innings – only Shubman Gill, who scored 26 runs, got into double digits apart from Kohli – Kohli blasted 12 fours and one six, seemingly batting on a different surface to his teammates.
Virat Kohli was also India’s second-highest scorer in the first innings with his knock of 38 runs, behind only KL Rahul’s 101. He finished as India’s highest run-aggregator in the Centurion Test.
Although India have lost a big opportunity to record a maiden Test series win in South Africa, Rohit Sharma’s team has plenty to fight for in the second Test, which started on January 3rd in Newlands, Cape Town.
Apart from looking to avoid a series loss, there are also WTC points at stake for India. Though it’s just the second series for India in the WTC 2023-25 cycle, they wouldn’t like that they have slipped to the 6th position in the WTC points table.
IND vs SA: Virat Kohli stats and records in Cape Town
Virat Kohli has played only two Test matches in Newlands, Cape Town. In 4 innings, he scored 141 runs with one half-century. Kohli played a gritty knock of 79 runs in 201 balls in Cape Town in January 2022. His rest three scores at this venue are all below 30. In the 2022 Cape Town Test, Rabada and Ngidi dismissed him.
India would want Kohli to step up once again in Cape Town, as he did in Centurion. But the result may not change if other batters, especially the top three don’t contribute, and a much better performance is required from the bowlers as well.
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