South African cricketers Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, and Marco Jansen showered praise on Virat Kohli, acknowledging his significant contribution as a cornerstone of the Indian cricket team across all three formats for the past six years. Bavuma emphasised that when discussing formidable aspects of the Indian batting lineup, it is imperative not to underestimate Kohli in any way.
"The biggest threat in the Indian batting lineup, you obviously can't rule out Virat Kohli. He has played here quite a number of times, so we'll say that he understands the conditions," Bavuma was quoted as saying on Star Sports.
Markram highlighted that Kohli's distinctive quality lies in his competitive nature, setting him apart from others. He emphasised that the 35-year-old has maintained an unwavering hunger for success and has not allowed it to diminish over time.
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"He is a fierce competitor. We might not always be the most skilful people, but to always try to fight out and compete, have more hunger than you've been playing against," Markram said.
Meanwhile, Jansen remarked that bowling to Kohli is a challenging task because the former Indian captain is well-aware of both his strengths and weaknesses.
"Bowling to Virat Kohli is tough because he knows what he is doing, and he knows what his strengths and weaknesses are," Jansen added.
Currently, Kohli finds himself in South Africa, gearing up for a two-match Test series. The first Test is slated to commence on December 26 at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
Ranked fourth among the top run-scorers in Test cricket among Indians, Kohli has accumulated 1236 runs at an impressive average of 56.18 and a strike rate of 55.10 in 14 matches. This includes three centuries and four half-centuries in his now 35-year-old career.
India, having never secured a Test series victory in South Africa, aim to rectify that record in the upcoming series.
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