New Delhi: Former South African cricketer Fanie de Villiers asserted that the Proteas need to be patient with Virat Kohli when both sides face in a two-match Test series starting on December 26. Kohli, who was the Player of the Series in the recently concluded ODI World Cup at home, will be playing in the Test series against South Africa. He had opted out of the white-ball leg of India’s tour to South Africa. Statistically, Kohli has a good record in South Africa. The former India captain played seven games in the Rainbow nation, scoring 719 runs including two centuries – in 2013 and 2018. His highest of 153 in South Africa came in 2018.
De Villiers, once a well-known exponent of the slower delivery in white ball cricket and Allan Donald’s worthy new ball partner till the mid-1990s, opined a batter like Kohli should be tackled by mind games.
“Only way to get a Virat Kohli kind of batter out is a very orthodox way of bowling on the fourth stump channel and play a waiting game. And wait for that one delivery which nips a bit far away. You can’t attack a good player,” the former South African said.
He cited Tendulkar’s example to drive home his point. “Like in case of Tendulkar, it was silly to always wait for leg before (to an incoming delivery). Because he would hit you through mid-wicket. So bowl those deliveries outside off-stump (to Virat) and wait for one to either nip away or nip in.”
Meanwhile, Kohli returned home due to a family emergency and will be back in time to play the first Test in Centurion. “Virat Kohli has returned to India due to a family emergency. But he will be back before start of the first Test,” a BCCI source told PTI on Friday.
It is understood that Kohli had already taken permission from BCCI brass about his short leave. “Virat had already left on Thursday and it was pre decided. Virat didn’t take part in the three day intra squad match where India and India A players took part,” the source added.
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