All eyes are on star batsman Virat Kohli, who is renowned for his extraordinary skill with the willow, as the cricket world prepares for the highly anticipated Test series between India and South Africa. He will now turn his attention to the difficulties of red-ball cricket after an incredible World Cup run that saw him emerge as the competition’s top run scorer and Player of the Tournament.
In the past, Indian hitters have found South Africa to be difficult, but Virat Kohli has somewhat resisted this pattern. In 2013, he made his debut in South Africa and demonstrated his abilities with a spectacular 119 and 96 in Johannesburg. This performance set the standard for his subsequent visits to the rainbow nation, as he amassed 719 runs at an average of 51.35 in seven Test matches. He has amassed two hundred and three half-centuries in 14 innings on Proteas Land, his best score being 153.
The 35-year-old has amassed 1’236 runs at an outstanding average of 56.18 in the larger context of Test matches against South Africa, both at home and away. He now stands as India’s fourth-highest run scorer against the Proteas as a result. Breaking Rahul Dravid’s record of 1252 runs is likely, moving him up to third place among Indian batsmen with the most runs scored in Test matches against South Africa.
The inconsistent Boxing Day Test performances of Virat Kohli
A mixed bag of results emerges when one examines the Delhi batter’s efforts on Boxing Day. India lost by 122 runs after his poor performance in his Boxing Day Test debut against Australia in 2011. He finished with scores of 11 and 0. In the Boxing Day Test that followed, he demonstrated his tenacity by scoring 46 and 11, respectively, although India lost by a margin of ten wickets.
With the sudden retirement of MS Dhoni, the explosive batter assumed the role of Test captain, ushering in a dramatic change in the cricketing scene of India. Four years later, he led India to a memorable victory over Australia in the Boxing Day Test, where they won by a margin of 137 runs with scores of 82 and 0 in each inning. Still, Kohli’s performance in the Boxing Day Tests hasn’t been consistent; three years later, in Centurion, he recorded scores of 35 and 18.
To sum up, in his five Boxing Day Test matches, the former captain of India has amassed 426 runs at an average of 42.60 in ten innings, with two hundreds and a century. With two victories, two defeats, and a draw in these illustrious meetings, his record highlights the highs and lows of his performances on this legendary platform. His record in the nation, together with his Boxing Day Test adventure, pave the way for yet another exciting chapter in his legendary cricket career as he gets ready to face South Africa once more.
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