[Watch] Virat Kohli throws his wicket away with a horrible shot in 1st India vs South Africa Test
Virat Kohli threw his wicket away in dismal but not atypical fashion in the first Test against South Africa on Sunday.
After batting brilliantly for his 35-run knock off 93 balls, Kohli went chasing for a needless drive against Lungi Ngidi's full, away-swinging delivery way outside the off-stump. Despite his shuffle, Kohli was too far away from the line of the ball and couldn't time it at all, thus giving a thick outside edge to Wiaan Mulder at first slip.
Here's a video of the same:
The Indian Test skipper was having a day out in Centurion before the delivery that got him out. He batted with conviction and had all the timing in the world to boast of. But like so many occasions in recent times, the opposition bowlers tested his patience by cutting down the run flow and sticking to the wide line, forcing him to play away from his body.
Kohli hit some sumptuous cover drives throughout his knock, but those were close to his line of play. The ball that dismissed him was wideish and should have simply been left alone.
Kohli's wicket leaves India in a pinch before stumps
Rahane walking in after Kohli wastes another start https://t.co/13xt3zM27R
Like the back-to-back wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Mayank Agarwal before him, Kohli's dismissal came against the run of play. At a time when the Indians were just beginning to reap the fruit of their work by attacking the old ball before the 80th over, they'll now have to rebuild perhaps until stumps.
Credit also goes to Ngidi, who made Kohli his third victim of the day. The pacer didn't start well, but has been superb in his short spells since Lunch. A little more support from the other bowlers, who have looked threatening in parts, will go a long way in helping South Africa get some more space in this Test.
For India, Ajinkya Rahane, another man under scrutiny has started aggressively and will look to carry his bat until stumps, even as his vice-captaincy replacement Rahul inches close to his hundred at the other end.