India's regular Test skipper Virat Kohli is expected to return for the third Test against South Africa. Virat missed his side’s seven-wicket defeat in the second Test at the Wanderers after pulling up with a back spasm but has been back in the nets and resumed training under the close observation of India head coach Rahul Dravid. The 33-year-old was looking focused at the nets as he was spotted playing some of his trademark cover drives. And India will definitely need the services of Virat if they want to clinch the three-match Test series 2-1.
Virat on verge of surpassing coach Dravid
Virat, whose willow has remained silent for quite a while now, will have the opportunity to once again show his batting prowess in Cape Town. On the other hand, the skipper will also have the opportunity to surpass his own coach Dravid. For this, Virat doesn't have to toil much. If he comes to bat and score mere 14 runs, he will leave behind the former India captain Dravid in terms of scoring most runs on South African soil.
Actually, Virat has a great track record with the willow in South Africa in Tests. He has mustered a total of 611 runs at an exceptional average of 50.91, which included two centuries and two half-centuries. Meanwhile, Dravid had scored 624 runs in a span of 11 Test matches with an average of 29.71 in South Africa. If Virat manages to do this he will supersede Dravid but to only become the second best as the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar already sits on top of the list, who had scored 1161 runs in 15 Test matches at an average of 46.44.
However, Indian will expect Virat to not only get those 14 runs but to also end his century drought and win the match bring home the glory of clinching the first Test series win in the Rainbow Nation.
The third and final Test match between India and South Africa will be played in Cape Town from January 11. In the second Test in Johannesburg, India suffered a crushing loss by seven wickets coming from a 113-run victory in the first Test match. In such a situation, if India win the last Test match, then for the first time in the history of 29 years, India, with their first Test series victory, will get to hoist the tricolor on South African soil.
