Virat Kohli hits an aggressive 119 on day one of first test against SA

By: Anand Vasu

At the Wanderers on Wednesday, on the opening day of the first Test against South Africa, Virat Kohli slotted into Tendulkar’s beloved No. 4 position with a century of the highest class. On the back of Kohli’s effort, India reached 255 for 5, very acceptable returns given the circumstances.

When Kohli walked out to bat, India were precariously poised. At 24 for 2, there was an unmistakable sense of déjà vu. But, before you could say here we go again, Kohli was off the blocks.

While the batsmen before him struggled to score at 2.5 runs an over, Kohli went at a run-a-ball, picking off the singles with ease and producing some gorgeous shots when the loose ball was on offer. The control he displayed when pulling Jacques Kallis off the front foot, and the balance he displayed when covering the swing and driving a full ball from Dale Steyn back past the bowler, were confirmation – if any were needed – that this was a rare talent at the top of his game.

Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara had added 89 for the third wicket, calming nerves in the Indian dressing-room, when a horrible mix-up resulted in a gifted wicket.

Kohli, visibly gutted at having sold his partner a dummy, needed to calm down quickly, and to his credit he managed this, sweetly timing Tahir through extra cover before getting into perfect position to square-drive Morne Morkel in front of point.

Rohit Sharma took guard with a Test average of 288, and left having all but halved that, gifting his wicket to Vernon Philander.

For the umpteenth time in the day, India were at the crossroads, having lost their fourth wicket with only 151 on the board. Ajinkya Rahane was welcomed to the crease by a couple of Tahir full tosses that were duly dispatched, and before South Africa’s attack could turn the screws, the Indian innings was back on track.

Kohli continued to bat at a couple of planes higher than his colleagues. When he whipped JP Duminy through midwicket, scrambled the first one and returned for a second, Kohli leapt into the air with energy that belied the fact that he had faced 140 balls to get to three figures. After getting to the landmark, Kohli pressed on past his previous Test best, 116, before falling anticlimactically. Rahane justified his inclusion, with an unbeaten 43.

India would have loved to have ended the day with Kohli unbeaten, but when they see that the average first-day score from the last five Tests at Wanderers was 251 for 9, they will realise that a base has been built even if much work still remains.


The writer is Managing Editor of Wisden India