Kohli has injury scare, hails ‘most balanced’ India show

JOHANNESBURG: India skipper Virat Kohli limped off the field during the first T20 at the Wanderers on Sunday, causing some concern in the visiting team’s camp.

Kohli, who has been prolific across formats and his superb fitness has allowed him to play one impactful and long innings after another, had been unstoppable in the ODI series, scoring three centuries.

On Sunday, Kohli walked off the field 13 overs into South Africa’s run chase. The India team spokesman said at that time: “Virat Kohli has a slight left hip problem. He is being monitored by the physio. Nothing serious.

After India had wrapped up the match, with Rohit Sharma taking over captaincy duties, Kohli explained he had been cautious.

“I tweaked my glute a little bit (while batting). Thankfully it’s not my hamstring,” Kohli said. “I felt a little more stiffness, so I decided to go off and not be stupid and tear a muscle.”

The sheer volume of work the India skipper has taken upon himself over the last two seasons has left many marvelling at his fitness. His highest score on the tour, an unbeaten 160 in the Cape Town ODI came on a hot day, where he brilliantly anchored the innings.

Kohli said: “It was the glutes, while taking a single, thankfully it wasn’t a hamstring…”

The India skipper praised the team performance, after Shikhar Dhawan’s half-century was complemented by Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 5/24, which earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.

“It was a really good wicket to bat on. Rohit and Shikhar were outstanding at the top. It was a total team batting performance and in the end Bhuvi showed his experience -- all in all it was a good team effort.

“We were looking to do this in T20s for a long time. It was one of our most balanced performances. You have to give credit to South Africa for their slog-overs bowling. We were thinking 220 in the 16th over, but when Dhoni got out we had to pull it back.

“We want to make the most of the time we have left here.”

Bhuvneshwar’s haul was only behind Yuzvendra’s India record 6/25. He now has five-wicket hauls in all formats. “It’s amazing to get five in a T20. I just wanted to bowl in good areas and it’s a result of that. Seeing how they were bowling and how the wicket was, we planned our bowling and it worked. I enjoy bowling in tough situations. The knuckle ball is something I’ve been working on.”