The Indian batting coach, Vikram Rathour reckons that the shot selection of the Test captain, Virat Kohli was better than his most recent knocks after the latter came up with a gritty 79 on Day 1 of the 3rd and final Test against South Africa in Cape Town. Kohli hit his 2nd slowest fifty as the skipper batted out 201 deliveries to help India reach a respectable score of 223 as the other batters failed to do much.
Speaking to the press after 11 wickets fell on Day 1 of the 3rd Test at Newlands, Vikram Rathour said the team management never had concerns regarding the form of Virat Kohli’s batting even as the Test captain’s hundred-less run extends beyond 2 years in international cricket.
Notably, the India captain had failed in both the innings of the first Test, chasing wide deliveries but he made a conscious effort to choose the pick his shots well and barred himself more often than not playing his favorite scoring shot.
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Explaining the same, Vikram Rathour said, “There was never a concern with the way Virat was batting, he was batting well. As a batting coach, I was never concerned that he is not batting well. He was looking very good in the nets and very good in the games also. He was getting starts, one good change today was that he was more disciplined today. I agree with that, he looked really good and solid. I am happy with the way he played today.”
Vikram Rathour said lapses in concentration led to his downfall in the first Test but Kohli looked more composed than in recent times on Tuesday in Cape Town.
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Vikram Rathour elaborated, “South Africa was very disciplined to Virat initially. He was not getting many balls to drive and pull, this is how he responded. He was looking really good till the point he got out. I mean it is not a conscious thing, it was just a lapse of concentration in the last game when he chased a wide delivery. He played some cover drives today, he picked the right balls.”
India missed out on an opportunity to post a more competitive total on the board as they were bundled out for a below-par score of 223 despite Kohli’s 79. However, they fought back with the early wicket of South Africa captain and 2nd Test hero, Dean Elgar.
