Kuldeep Yadav hails Virat Kohli’s Ranchi carnage; says it felt like 'Old King' is back

India’s wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav couldn’t hide his excitement after watching Virat Kohli’s masterclass in Ranchi, and his reaction showed just how special the knock truly was during the team’s thrilling 17-run victory over South Africa in the first ODI on November 30.

Virat Kohli set Ranchi on fire with a vintage show of dominance, smashing a breathtaking 135 off 120 balls in the first ODI against South Africa. It was the kind of innings fans had been waiting to see, a knock filled with power, control, and the old spark that once terrified bowlers all over the world.

Virat Kohli’s classic ton and Kuldeep Yadav’s magic seal India’s nail-biting win in 1st ODI against South Africa

After Yashasvi Jaiswal fell cheaply, Kohli walked in to bat at No. 3 and showed clear intent from ball one. The dashing right-handed batter tore into the South African bowling attack, smashing Nandre Burger and Marco Jansen even inside the power play without a second thought.

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The former Indian captain’s majestic innings, studded with 11 fours and seven towering sixes, and his 136-run partnership with Rohit Sharma (57) gave India the perfect start. Later, KL Rahul’s brilliant fifty and Ravindra Jadeja’s cameo of 32 runs pushed India to 349/8 on the board.

Defending the target, the South African side took the game to the final over and put the hosts under immense pressure, but yet again Kuldeep Yadav turned the game in favor of the hosts with his spin. The wrist-spinner picked up four wickets to seal a thrilling win for the Men in Blue.

Kuldeep Yadav feels the old Virat Kohli is back after his Ranchi masterclass

Speaking about Kohli’s knock after India took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match ODI series against South Africa, Kuldeep admitted that he felt like a throwback to the Kohli era between 2016 and 2019, when he ruled world cricket with unmatched hunger and precision.

The way Kohli timed the ball, picked his shots, and carried himself at the crease reminded Kuldeep of the unstoppable version of the former Indian captain from nearly a decade ago.

Kuldeep Yadav said in a BCCI video, “My career started with Virat Bhai when he was the captain. The way he batted, I felt I had gone back 8-9 years. The way he was batting in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2016. It was a very good innings, and he looked very confident. And whatever his shot selection was, the ball was coming nicely off the bat; it was amazing to watch.”

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Kuldeep Yadav calls Virat Kohli the driving force behind India’s intensity

Meanwhile, Kuldeep also opened up about what it feels like to share the field and dressing room with a player of Kohli’s stature. He said that the Indian cricket team feels fortunate to have such a strong senior presence.

The Indian spinner further noted that every match alongside Kohli is a learning experience and the energy that he brings lifts the entire team.

Kuldeep signed off by saying, “It feels good to be with him. You get to learn a lot from him; you always get inputs. Even in bowling, you get inputs as to what you can do. So, it feels really good to be with the seniors. There is energy and intensity in the team. As you have seen in the field. We are very lucky with it.”