2nd Test – Kohli Excels With 21st Ton Before AB Rescues Proteas

Virat Kohli enjoyed another astounding day of Test cricket after notching his 21st career ton to defy the South Africans at large before running out of company at the other end.
The 153-run innings was a Kohli special at Centurion much to the delight of fans all around the globe as he defined application in Test cricket with a lot of intensity. The sensuous cover drives was a trademark of his innings as the Indian skipper went on to score more than half of Indian runs after helping his side near the Proteas total of 335. India eventually folded for 307 runs as the skipper was the last man to fold after reminiscing another overseas ton.

South Africa finished the day at 90/2 in the second innings and took a handy 118-run lead with an interesting fourth day on the cards. AB de Villiers and Dean Elgar forged a 87-run stand to make the Indian bowlers toil in the before rain and bad light intervened. India were off to a flier when Jasprit Bumrah got two early wickets getting the ball to skid off the surface from short of a length deliveries as Aiden Markram and Hashim Amla departed to be trapped leg before.
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At 3/2 South Africa looked like they were in for a deep trouble, but De Villiers had other plans. The swashbuckling batsman counter-attacked in style and maintained the run-flow. All that was on offer, was caressed to the boundary as Indian bowlers tried different stuff. Elgar played a superb supporting role and the duo held their nerves to see their team surge ahead before rain ruined the rest of the day’s play. AB de villiers remained unbeaten on 50 runs of just 78 deliveries.

Earlier, Kohli showed similarities of grandeur like Australian Test skipper Steve Smith to not give the opposition any room to dismantle the belief and ability to score immensely. The world No. 3 Test batsman’s knack of converting baby hundreds into big knocks has become a familiar tale off late and he could have gone on to score more if only someone in the side had the character to bat long alongside him.
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He looked so comfortable on the pitch getting runs all over the ground as the Proteas bowlers failed to find a manner in which they could get him out. He shared a 45-run stand with Hardik Pandya and just when the latter looked to settle in well, a moment of bizarreness in getting back to the crease after being sent back, saw him go back to the hut. Pandya ran half the pitch only to be sent back by Kohli and although he reached back in time, his mistake of not landing the bat on the ground hurt him.
Kohli by then had brought up his ton after resuming on an overnight score of 85 runs. Ravichandran Ashwin joined him and received some hostility from Kagiso Rabada, who used the short ball to perfection. Ashwin hit back smashing three successive fours off the same bowler moments later and broke the shackles. The Proteas ran out of ideas and waited for the new ball desperately.
STAT ATTACK:

1. Kohli brought up his 21st Test ton in his 65th Test match
2. Equalled Sir Donald Bradman’s record of scoring eight 150+ scores as captain 
3. His 153 runs was his best score in South Africa overcoming his 119 in 2013
4. He is the 1st centurion from both sides in this ongoing series

Kohli smashed a sensational cover drive off a over-pitched delivery from Philander. But the danger struck as Ashwin nicked a out-swinging length ball to second slip. A 71-run stand thus came to an end. Mohammed Shami fended off a short Morne Morkel delivery to first slip. It was up to Kohli to keep the runs flowing and he added another 25 runs with Ishant Sharma.
After Ishant’s dismissal, Kohli knew he had to go for big shots and once he threw his bat off a Morkel delivery, he was out in midwicket. Morkel finished as the best bowler for the Proteas with four wickets to his name.

A great innings finally came to an end as everybody on the stadium acknowledged the knock.