India’s batting fears blown away by Kohli

Sport360 staff 09:58 19/12/2013
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  • Virat Kohli provided early proof that India are well equipped to begin life after Sachin Tendulkar as he counter-punched his way to a century in the opening Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.

    Kohli has been hailed as the man to take the hero’s mantle from Tendulkar, who brought his recordbreaking 24-year career to an end last month, and was given an immediate examination of his credentials after South Africa’s quicks removed both openers inside the first hour.

    After initially defying some fearful pace bowling before lunch, most specifically from Morne Morkel, Kohli blossomed in the afternoon sun as he reached his fifth Test century and first against the Proteas.

    It was an innings India, who have lost their previous eight away Tests, required after no other batsman fully convinced in a stumps total of 255-5 after the first day.

    Kohli’s late dismissal for 119, pushing Jacques Kallis to cover, meant that spoils were shared between the world’s top-two ranked nations.

    Ajinkya Rahane, in his second Test, remained unbeaten on 43 alongside skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on 17. South Africa’s four seamers took a wicket each.

    Much has been made of the fact India’s batsmen have had little experience outside of the sub-continent in the five-day game, with Tendulkar’s absence as a guiding force now also missing.

    After openers Shikhar Dhawan (13) and Murali Vijay (six) then fell cheaply it was left to Kohli to extricate them from the dangers of two down for 24. The right-hander did so in reassuring style, unafraid to take the attack to South Africa’s quicks.

    Most memorably he dismissively pulled Steyn to the ropes in the afternoon session after the quick had earlier unnerved Dhawan into giving away his wicket to the short ball.

    Kohli’s only obvious error, before he was left head bowed by his unexpectedly soft dismissal, was to sell Cheteshwar Pujara short in a runout that ended an 89-run stand for the third wicket.

    Kohli aborted a single he called for and with Pujara already committed was left without a prayer of re-finding his crease as Imran Tahir threw to Hashim Amla at the non-striker’s end.

    Rohit Sharma (14) strode to the crease – armed with an average of 288 after his impressive debut series against West Indies – but loosely edged behind to Philander on the stroke of tea.

    Kohli brought up his deserved century shortly after the evening session began, from his 140th ball, and seemed set for more until Kallis proved his long-standing worth with the ball.

    After sharing words with Kohli the veteran finally produced a false shot from the right-hander, with JP Duminy gleefully holding on at cover.

    It was, however, South Africa’s final wicket of the day as Rahane showed composure alongside Dhoni to see off 10 overs of the new ball when the Wanderers’ lights were required to be turned on.

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