IND Vs SA: Former South African Legend Asks Proteas Pacers To Emulate James Anderson For Virat Kohli's Demise In Test Series

Ahead of the much anticipated 2-match Test series between India and South Africa, Former Proteas pacer Fanie De Villiers has given a piece of advice to South African bowlers on how to get the wicket of Indian batting ace Virat Kohli. The red-ball phase of India’s tour will begin with a Boxing Day Test on 26th December at Centurion’s SuperSport Park Cricket Stadium.

It will be team India’s 3rd and final Test series of 2023 and the first red-ball series since July. At the start of 2023, Rohit Sharma’s side welcomed Australia for the iconic Border-Gavaskar trophy which India won by 2-1. Later on in June after the IPL, the same Indian team lost against the same Australian team during the One-off ICC World Test Championship match at the Oval in June.

After that, India played 2 Tests in the West Indies, winning the series by 1-0 but this particular series against the Proteas holds plenty of significance. It is hard to believe but India has never won a single Test series at South African soil.

India’s best result at South Africa in Tests has been a 1-1 draw during the 2010/11’s 3-match series with MS Dhoni leading the side. But since then, India have lost every Test series there with the most recent one coming in 2021/22 when Virat Kohli was the Captain.

With a new captain set to lead the Indians, Rahul Dravid’s aim will be to win the series and become the first generation to upset South Africa in their own backyard which has proved to be an unthinkable job until now.

If they are to do so, one Batter that has to perform well is Virat Kohli, someone who has a very good record in South Africa. The 35-year-old has an average of 51.35 in 14 innings (7 matches), including 2 Hundreds and 3 Fifties. Since playing his first test match at South Africa in 2013, Kohli has scored 719 runs with a best of 153 in January 2018.

Virat Kohli in fact scored a Century in his very first Test match at South Africa during the 2013 series opener at Johannesburg. Therefore, a lot will depend on his form and he can once again be the catalyst of success for the Indian team in foreign conditions. His preparations have taken a halt as Kohli has flown back to India to address an emergency family issue but is expected to return in time for the Boxing Day Test.

“Be Patient And Bowl Outside Off-Stump”, Fanie De Villiers’ Antidote To Get Virat Kohli Out

Every team in the world that faces India, knows that Virat Kohli is a constant threat. Therefore, getting his wicket early on will be among the key agendas for South Africa. And on how to get his wicket, former Proteas pacer Fanie De Villiers has advised South African bowlers to constantly bowl him outside off, an area he has struggled the most in his career.

“Only way to get a Virat Kohli kind of batter out is a very orthodox way of bowling on the fourth stump channel and play a waiting game. And wait for that one delivery which nips a bit far away.” – said De Villiers.

“Like in case of Tendulkar, it was silly to always wait for leg before (to an incoming delivery). Because he would hit you through mid-wicket. So bowl those deliveries outside off-stump (to Virat) and wait for one to either nip away or nip in.” – De Villiers concluded.

With only 3 days to go for the first test, preparations are at full swing but the main question is, Can Rohit Sharma become the first Captain to win a Red-ball Series at South Africa? Time will tell.