IND vs SA: Irfan Pathan Shocked At Virat Kohli's Exclusion From 'Star Sports' 2023 Test Team Of The Year'

Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli was excluded from Star Sports’ 2023 Test Team of The Year. Three Indians including skipper Rohit Sharma and specialist all-rouners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin featured in the XI. 

The playing XI consists of four Australian cricketers namely Usman Khawaja, Travis Head Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc. Three England cricketers in Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow (wk), and Stuart Broad make the XI. Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson slots in at number four. There are no cricketers in the XI apart from India. England, New Zealand and Australia.

Meanwhile, the absence of Virat Kohli surprised former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan. Despite scoring over 500 runs including two hundreds, Kohli did not find a place in the Test XI. 

Virat Kohli Snubbed From 2023 Test XI Of The Year

“Kohli has 55 Test average in 2023 & it’s shocking that he is missing in the Test team of the year” Pathan said with utter surprise on Star Sports. 

Star Sports picks the Test team of the year 2023. pic.twitter.com/hILauBf6pP

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 26, 2023

Kohli scored two centuries so far this year one against Australia (186) and one against West Indies (121). In the first innings of the first Test against South Africa, he scored 38 off 64 deliveries. His wicket was the big turning point as it started a slide and India lost 8 wickets before rain ended the day’s play at Centurion. 

Also Read: IND vs SA: Virat Kohli Surpasses Rahul Dravid, Sits Behind Virender Sehwag & Sachin Tendulkar In Elite List

Kohli is currently ranked 13th in the ICC Test rankings. He is fresh off a World Cup campaign where he scored 765 runs in 11 matches in the World Cup. Rohit Sharma with 597 runs was the second-highest run scorer in the tournament. 

Kohli’s knock of 38 off 64 deliveries helped him achieve a landmark on the opening day of the Centurion Test. He is now the third-highest run-scorer against South Africa in Test cricket with 1274 runs under his belt. He has a chance to surpass Virender Sehwag who has scored 1306 runs against South Africa. 

Virat Kohli was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada while fishing outside the off stump. This was the fourth time Kohli was dismissed by Rabada in Test cricket. AB De Villiers spoke about bowling in the fourth stump channel to dismiss Kohli and Rabada executed the plan straightway post-lunch on day 1. 

“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,” de Villiers told PTI.

South Africa won the toss on day 1 and asked India to bat first. It was a delayed start and India started losing wickets at regular intervals. Kohli added a crucial 68-run stand with Kohli. 

India was derailed by Kagiso Rabada’s fifer before rain brought a premature end to the opening day’s play at Centurion. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 70 as India reached 208/8 in 59 overs. 

India are yet to win a Test series in South Africa famously known as India’s final frontier. No Indian captain has ever won a Test match in South Africa ever before. However, with the kind of squad India has this time around, cricket experts are expecting them to break the deadlock.

Also Read: IND vs SA: Rohit Sharma’s Pull Shot Has Been His Nemesis In Test Cricket – Sanjay Manjrekar