'He is already feeling better,' KL Rahul hints at Virat's return for 3rd Test after loss

Profile

SportsTak

SportsTak

KL Rahul after going down to South Africa by seven wickets in the second Test in Johannesburg on Thursday, dropped a hint about India's regular Test captain Virat Kohli's returning chances for the decider third match in Cape Town.

 

In a shocking turn of events, Virat had been surprisingly ruled out of the second Test due to back spasm against South Africa. Post which Rahul had to take the baton to spearhead the India side as a stand-in skipper.

 

In the post-match presentation, Rahul said that Virat is feeling better and he is doing fine. 


"Virat is already feeling better, he's been doing a bit of fielding and think he'll be fine," Rahul said of Virat.
''He is already been hitting the nets and should be fit in time for the third Test," he added.

 

Coming from a first Test defeat, Proteas made a super comeback as they rode on skipper Dean Elgar's match-winning 96 off 188 to force a series decider in Cape Town.


The man of the match batter was well complimented by Rassie Van der Dussen sedate 40 off 92 balls to overhaul a lowly target of 240 runs with seven wickets to spare.

 

Shardul Thakur gave his all bowling in the first innings as he bowled a sensational spell of 7/61 to bundle the Proteas side to 229 in reply of India's first innings' 202. But Rahul-led India looked in all sorts of bother before South African bowlers barring gritty half-centurion knocks from Cheteshwar Pujara's 53 off 86 and Ajinkya Rahane's 58 off 78. 

 

Earlier, Pujara came to Virat Kohli's rescue after India's Test captain's sudden pull out of the second Test match against South Africa due to back spasm. 

Pujara threw his weight behind Virat as he felt it must have been really tough for India's regular Test captain to take a difficult decision to miss the crucial match.

 

"On the day of the game, Virat had this spasm and had to take the call in the morning. So it's not easy for him as well. But the bench-strength of the team, credit goes to them, they have been working hard," Pujara said.

    Share