SA vs IND: Virat Kohli fit enough to play in Cape Town Test, hints Rahul David
Virat Kohli (Photo by CHRISTIAAN KOTZE/AFP via Getty Images)
India suffered a crushing loss to South Africa in the second Test at Johannesburg. Chasing a target of 240, a magnificent 96 by Dean Elgar helped South Africa to a comfortable seven wicket win. India were without the services of regular skipper Virat Kohli, who was ruled out due to upper back spasm. In the absence of Kohli, KL Rahul led the team. India looked pretty flat in the field in the second Inning and missed Kohli’s aggression. However, Kohli is likely to return for the final Test in Cape Town.
At the post-match conference, stand-in skipper KL Rahul revealed that Kohli is doing fine and looks fit to make a comeback in Cape Town. “Virat is feeling better already, he’s been in the nets the last couple of days and he’s been fielding and running around on the field,” stand-in captain KL Rahul said after India’s seven-wicket loss on the fourth day. “I think he should be fine.”
Meanwhile, India head coach Rahul Dravid also sounded optimistic about Kohli’s return .”From all accounts, he should be fine,” Dravid said. “He’s had the opportunity to run around a little bit, he’s had the opportunity to test it a little bit, I’ll be down only now at the moment in the nets with a few throwdowns and stuff, so hopefully with a few net sessions in Cape Town, he should be good to go.
“I haven’t had a detailed discussion with the physio as yet, but from everything I’m hearing and from just having a chat with him, he’s really improving and should be good to go in four days’ time.”
If Kohli makes a comeback, India will have to make some tough calls as Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari – the probables who could have made way for Kohli, all scored runs in Johannesburg.
