Home
With the match going neck and neck, captain Virat Kohli was seen once again losing his temperament and this time with South Africa's Rassie Van der Dussen on Day 4 of the decider Test in Cape Town on Friday (January 14).
Virat was seen exchanging words when India's caught behind review went in the favour of Van der Dussen in the 37th over as Proteas are currently at 155/3 and need 57 runs more to win the match.
Earlier, in the second Test match in Johannesburg, Van der Dussen sledged Rishabh Pant which yielded result in South Africa's favour as the Indian wicket-keeper on being triggered played an outlandish shot and lost his wicket. However, in response, Pant awaited the arrival of Rassie to the crease before he began his usual chatter. He kept pointing out that the South Africans ‘can only score off edges’ and their No.4 batter (Rassie) forgot where his guard is.
This was the second time in the third Test match that Kohli had lost his cool as his frustration with an earlier stump mic rant took the spotlight on Day 3 of the ongoing match. Van der Dussen was beaten by Mohammed Shami and the Indian team went for the appeal in unison. But the umpire said no and Kohli instantly took a review.
The replays showed a spike when the ball was going past the outside edge but the bat was also scraping the ground at the same time, so the third umpire asked Erasmus to stay with his verdict. Kohli was seen having a word with the onfield umpire Marais Erasmus and then exchanged some colourful words with Van der Dussen, referring to the South African's little episode with Pant in the second Test. "When you go after someone who is five years younger than you," Kohli told Van der Dussen, asking him if he had sledged Rishabh in the second Test.
Earlier on Day 3, after South Africa skipper Dean Elgar got a massive reprieve due to a contentious DRS decision, the Indian captain along with his teammates lost their cool and vented their anger on the stump mic. Ashwin also could not stop himself from taking a dig at the ball-tracking technology of the broadcaster, saying, "You should find better ways to win Supersport."
Even umpire Erasmus couldn't believe his eyes and the stump mic heard him saying, "That's not possible."
Dejected with the shocking decision, KL Rahul was heard saying, "Whole country playing against XI guys," as the opener tried to lift the morale of his teammates. Another of his teammates said, "broadcasters are here to make money boys."
"I hope the stump microphone is recording it," said another. Kohli added to that,"Focus on your team as well and not just the opposition. Trying to catch people all the time." Kohli had in fact sledged Elgar even before that when he made a snide remark about Elgar being intimidated by Jasprit Bumrah. "Unbelievable. After a Man of the Match performance in the last game, running (away) from Jasprit. Chirping for 13 years, Dean and you think you are gonna keep me quiet," Kohli said from slips.
Such has been the saga of sledging in the ongoing India-South Africa Test series which doesn't seem to stop until the winners are decided.
