"Virat Kohli Will Play Major Role": South Africa Great Praises India Star Ahead Of Test Series

Team India's ongoing all-format tour against South Africa started on a disappointing note as the first T20I got washed out due to rain in Durban on Sunday. The second T20I will be played on Tuesday in Gqeberha and the young guns of India, led by star batter Suryakumar Yadav will aim for a perfect outing. Post the T20Is and the three-match ODI series, both the teams will be squaring off in a two-match Test series, where skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be joining the squad. 

As the preparations for the series are going in full throttle, legendary Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis.has stated that Kohli's form and knowledge about South African conditions will be key to India's success in the Tests. 

"I am sure he will want to have a big series here in South Africa. He has been in good form. He will play a major role in helping India. If they are to win here, he will have to have a good series," Kallis told Star Sports.

Kohli amassed 932 runs from 30 innings to emerge as the highest run-scorer for India during the last WTC cycle. He has already scored a century and a fifty in two completed Tests against the West Indies as part of the current cycle.

Kohli is in imperious form, having racked up a whopping 765 runs in the ODI World Cup on home soil to be awarded the Player of the Tournament.

"He's a massive player, no matter where it is. Having played here quite a bit and had a fair amount of success," Kallis said.

"He'll be able to pass that knowledge on to the other guys, especially the younger guys and give them ideas on how to manage these conditions and then what to expect." Kohli, 35, scored two of his 29 Test centuries against the Proteas away from home.

India had suffered a 1-2 loss in South Africa during the last World Test Championship cycle.

"This is a good Indian team but South Africa is tough to beat in South Africa," Kallis said.

"Centurion will probably suit South Africa and Newlands will probably suit India. It will be a good series and it will come down to one or two sessions that one team might play better than the other. It would be a closely-fought contest."

(With PTI Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team South Africa Cricket Team Virat Kohli Jacques Kallis South Africa vs India Cricket