Hungry Kohli is aiming for No 1
OBSTACLE: INDIAN SKIPPER UP AGAINST STEVE SMITH
On-song Virat Kohli is looking to topple Aussie run machine Steve Smith in the international batting rankings as India push for a whitewash over South Africa in the third Test starting tomorrow.
Kohli’s career-best 254 not out in India’s second successive win in the three-match series moved him to within one point of Smith in the International Cricket Council Test chart.
Smith replaced Kohli at No 1 last month following his blazing Ashes series against England and after the Indian star made a golden duck against the West Indies.
The Australian is out of action in the Test arena until November 21 when Australia host Pakistan.
Kohli regained lost ground against the struggling South Africans in the current series as he made his seventh Test double century, joining England great Wally Hammond and Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene.
He also went past Don Bradman’s tally of 6 996 runs in 52 Tests that led India to their record 11th straight Test triumph at home. Australia had two streaks of 10 wins in a row.
“I’m just happy to be where I am. Putting the team in a commanding position is the only thing I strive for,” Kohli, who tops the ODI batting chart.
“Of course I enjoy scoring runs, but if they come in a winning cause, there’s nothing like it.”
Kohli meanwhile has even won praise from former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar who praised him for his “fearless” brand of cricket.
“He will score 250 in future as well,” Akhtar said. “Kohli has learnt from his mistakes and has become a good captain.”
Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis will be hoping to give his team more of a chance in Ranchi after twice losing the toss.
This allowed India to amass a mammoth first-innings total of 502/7 in Visakhapatnam as South Africa’s bowlers toiled, a feat outdone in Pune when the hosts declared on 601/5.
This prompted former England captain Michael Vaughan to call Indian Test pitches “boring”.
“The first 3/4 days the contest is far too in favour of the bat,” Vaughan tweeted last Friday.
Dean Elgar’s 160 has been the visitors’ only standout show in the series so far.
Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada said the up-and-coming team – following the retirements of Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn – should pick up the positives and move ahead.
“Our team is fresh and young, so the best thing we can do is look at where we can improve and remember our strengths and build on them,” he said. –