India's batting maestro Virat Kohli not only shone on the field during the Test series between India and South Africa but also won admiration off it. Throughout the series, he was a standout performer and became the most run scorer for India with a total of 172 at an average of 43. Kohli's impressive performance with the bat played an instrumental role in India securing a draw in the series against South Africa.
Apart from his exceptional on-field presence, Kohli also showed sportsmanship off the field. Right after the conclusion of the second Test in Cape Town, which India won by seven wickets inside two days, Kohli gifted his signed jersey to South African spinner Keshav Maharaj. Maharaj then took to Instagram and shared the spectacle with his fans by posting a photo alongside the Indian star.
Maharaj thanked Kohli for presenting him with his jersey, mentioning that it would be a prized addition to his wall. In the shared photo, Maharaj is seen posing with Kohli, holding the cricketer's jersey. The jersey features a message "To Keshav with best wishes," accompanied by Kohli's autograph at the bottom.
Alongside the photo, Maharaj captioned it, “One for the Wall, Thank you Virat Kohli.”
South Africa's ace spinner did not have an opportunity to bowl in the second Test, as fast bowlers dominated the match by claiming all the wickets. Having missed the first game, expectations were high for Maharaj's impact in the second match.
However, the pitch conditions in Cape Town rendered his spin bowling unnecessary. The pitch proved to be challenging for batters but ideal for fast bowlers, leading to the match concluding in just four and a half sessions.
This Test became the shortest in cricket history, lasting only 642 balls. The first day saw a remarkable 23 wickets fall, all to fast bowlers. South Africa were dismissed for just 55 runs in their first innings, followed by India's struggle, ending at 153 runs and securing a lead of 98. In their second innings, South Africa improved slightly but were still dismissed for 176 runs, setting India a modest target of 79 runs.
India, despite losing three wickets during their chase, emerged victorious by seven wickets. This win led to a drawn series, marking the first time since 2010 that India managed to draw a series on South African soil.
Kohli also gifted a signed jersey to Dean Elgar, who played his last match for South Africa, concluded his career as one of the team's top batters in Test cricket.
Dean Elgar wrapped up his career as the eighth highest run-getter in Test cricket for South Africa, amassing 5347 runs in 86 Tests with an impressive average of 37.92. His career highlights include 14 centuries and 23 half-centuries.
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