What is Virat Kohli’s Test record in South Africa?

Senior Team India batter Virat Kohli will be crucial to the visitors’ fortunes during their two-match Test series in South Africa, which begins with the Boxing Day clash at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.

The 35-year-old has a terrific record in Test cricket, having amassed 8676 runs in 111 matches at an average of 49.29 with 29 hundreds and as many fifties. If we look at his Test record in South Africa, it is equally impressive. In seven Test matches in the Rainbow Nation, he has scored 719 runs at an average of 51.35.

The batter has scored 272 runs in two Tests at an average of 68 during his maiden visit to the Proteas nation in 2013. Kohli was Player of the Match for registering scores of 119 and 96 in the first Test in Johannesburg. He contributed 46 in the second Test in Durban.

The right-handed batter contributed 286 runs in three Tests at an average of 47.66 during the 2017-18 tour to South Africa. He scored a brilliant 153 off 217 balls in the first innings of the Centurion Test, hitting 15 fours in a defiant knock. India, however, went on to lose the Test by 135 runs.

Leading the Indian team, Kohli contributed significant scores of 54 and 41 in a low-scoring Test in Johannesburg as the visitors won the tight contest by 63 runs.

The prolific Indian batter played two of the three Tests during India’s previous tour to the Rainbow Nation in 2021-21, missing out on the second match of the series due to fitness issues. He scored 161 runs in the two Tests he played at an average of 40.25.

Even as India won the opening Test in Centurion by 113 runs, Kohli did not make much of a contribution with the willow. He got a start in the first innings, but was dismissed for 35 off 94. In the second innings, he was out for 18.

The batter did well in the third Test of the series, scoring 79 and 29 even as India went down in Cape Town by seven wickets. This was also Kohli’s last match as India captain as he resigned as Test leader following India’s loss.

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Virat Kohli’s overall Test record against South Africa

Overall, the former India captain has played 14 Test matches against South Africa, scoring 1236 runs at an average of 56.18 with three hundreds.

His best of 254* against the Proteas came in Pune in October 2019. Kohli’s magnificent knock featured 33 fours and two sixes in a 336-ball stay as India won the Test by an innings and 137 runs.

The right-handed batter also contributed 88 off 165 balls in Delhi in 2015, a Test India won by 337 runs on the back of twin hundreds from Ajinkya Rahane (127 & 100*).