India vs South Africa: Virat Kohli Looks To Surpass Dravid, Sehwag In Elite List

The ‘last frontier’ is right here as India tackle South Africa within the bid to win their first-ever Test sequence within the Rainbow Nation. In 8 makes an attempt earlier than, India have solely managed to attract the Test sequence in opposition to the Proteas as soon as, whereas struggling defeats within the different seven. While a sequence triumph would be the Indian workforce’s focus, the talismanic Virat Kohli could be desirous to go previous the likes of Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid within the record of most Test runs scored by an Indian in South Africa.

Kohli, at current, is slotted on the No. 4 spot with 1236 runs to his identify in 14 matches. In comparability, Rahul Dravid scored 1252 runs in 21 matches and 1306 runs in 15 matches. Sachin Tendulkar leads the record with 1741 runs to his identify in 25 matches.

The two-match Test rubber, beginning in Centurion on the Boxing Day, will likely be India’s ninth away sequence within the Rainbow Nation since 1992, and captain Rohit can have an onerous process of traversing a troublesome terrain to be able to conquer what has at all times been dubbed the workforce’s ‘last frontier’.

However, for the motion to begin at Supersport Park, the heavy rains predicted on the primary two days have to subside.

The Centurion monitor affords variable bounce and is without doubt one of the quickest within the area. And that makes up for a compelling contest between bat and ball in comparatively cooler and windy situations in an open floor the place it might probably jag round a bit.

In the final 50 over World Cup, skipper Rohit, at finest would have emulated Kapil Dev and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but when he and his males handle to drag off a coup on this nation, he would stand first among the many equals.

Mohammed Azharuddin (1992) failed, so did Sachin Tendulkar (1996) and Sourav Ganguly (2001). Rahul Dravid (2006-07), Dhoni (2010-11 and 2013-14) gained Test matches, and so did Virat Kohli (2018-19 and 2021-22) however none of them might win the elusive sequence in South Africa.

So Rohit can have a job at hand and a win may simply be the much-needed soothing balm required to heal the World Cup wounds despite the fact that the scars will stay.

With PTI inputs