India vs South Africa: Injury Scare For Virat Kohli In First T20I

Virat Kohli limped off the field before India completed another dominant performance over South Africa in the first Twenty20 international at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday. Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were mainly responsible for India's 28-run win, just two days after the tourists completed a 5-1 thrashing of the hosts in a one-day international series. India captain Kohli left the field 13 overs into South Africa's innings after suffering a left leg strain while batting.

"I tweaked my glute a little bit. Thankfully it's not my hamstring," he said.

"The injury was early on in the innings when I went for the single. It was my glute and thankfully not my hammy. You know how I am, I had to bend bit more quickly. Then I felt a little bit more stiffness in my glute and that is why I went off. Not to be stupid and tear a muscle, I decided to go off and get it checked," added Kohli.

Earlier, South Africa captain JP Duminy won the toss and elected to bowl first on a pitch that was tailor-made for batsmen.

Rohit Sharma took India off to a flyer as Shikhar Dhawan and India captain Virat Kohli capitalised on the great start to take the visitors into a position of dominance in the first T20I played at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg.

Kohli, who has been in some scintillating form in South Africa, got a reprieve with Farhan Behardien dropping him at long-on when batting on 10. However, Kohli, for a change, failed to cash in and was dismissed by Tabraiz Shamsi for 26.

Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar entered the record books with his career-best bowling figures of 5/24. With this feat, Kumar also became the second Indian after Yuzvendra Chahal to pick up a five-for in a T20I. Kumar was spot on with his bowling as he took the crucial wicket of Reeza Hendricks (70 runs) in the 18th over diminishing whatever hopes the hosts had against India. Kumar also became the first Indian paceman to claim a five-wicket haul in T20Is.

(With AFP Inputs)