"Kohli has the special ability to assess the pitch" - Sunil Gavaskar lauds Virat Kohli's performances in IND vs SA Test series

Sunil Gavaskar believes Virat Kohli's ability to assess the conditions quickly yielded him rich dividends in the recently concluded Test series between India and South Africa.

Rohit Sharma and company, who were thrashed by the Proteas by an innings and 32 runs in the first Test in Centurion, bounced back to complete a seven-wicket win in the second Test in Cape Town on Thursday, January 4. Kohli, with 172 runs to his credit, was the visitors' highest run-scorer in the series.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Gavaskar was asked about his thoughts on Kohli's performances in the series, to which he replied:

"This was a two-match series, the Test matches lasted four-and-a-half days, which means it was a series that lasted less than a Test match. However, there also Virat Kohli looked the most comfortable batter because Kohli has the special ability to assess the pitch."

The former India opener added that the modern batting great seemed to be batting on a different surface. He explained:

"He figures out how to play and how not to play, when to play shots and when not to play, and because of that, when he was batting, especially here (Cape Town), it seemed like it was a different pitch."

Gavaskar highlighted that Kohli's performances were a reflection of his class. He elaborated:

"The batters were struggling at the other end. They weren't able to understand whether to go forward or back and how to play when the ball was bouncing. It didn't seem like that at all when Virat Kohli was playing. He got out to his first mistake. It is evident when a player is of a different class."

Dean Elgar, who played a 185-run knock in South Africa's only innings of the first Test, was the top run-getter in the series, with 201 runs to his name. Kohli's 172-run aggregate was the second-best effort, with Aiden Markram and KL Rahul, who totaled 113 runs apiece, being the only other players to cross the 100-run mark in the series.

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"When he was in slight trouble two years ago, I felt he was doing too much initial movement" - Sunil Gavaskar on Virat Kohli's improved technique

Virat Kohli played a 76-run knock in India's second innings of the Boxing Day Test. [P/C: Getty]

Sunil Gavaskar was further asked about Virat Kohli getting into the right positions quickly, to which he responded:

"Firstly, his head is absolutely still. Secondly, when he was in slight trouble two years ago, I felt he was doing too much initial movement. Now he is doing only a slight movement because of which a little bit of the off-stump is seen."

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Indian batting mainstay is no longer chasing deliveries outside the off-stump. He said:

"Earlier he was going outside the off-stump and because of that he was playing distant deliveries and getting out. Now his right eye is above the off-stump, so he comes to know whether to play the ball or not. That is why he is very certain outside the off-stump."

Gavaskar pointed out that even though the pitches were seamer-friendly, Kohli played and missed only on an odd occasion in the two Tests. He added that the 113-Test veteran put in the hard yards to tighten his technique and is playing close to his body and under his eyes.