“Credit to him, he batted very well”: Kagiso Rabada praises Virat Kohli for his gritty half-century during IND VS SA Cape Town Test

Kagiso Rabada praises Virat Kohli after latter grinded it out to propel team India to a respectable total versus South Africa at Cape Town.

During the first day of the third Test of the ongoing India’s tour of South Africa in Cape Town, team India skipper Virat Kohli played a stellar knock of 79 off 201 deliveries, with the assistance of 12 Fours and a Six.

With India yet again losing wickets at regular intervals, Kohli was left to bat with the tail, and eventually succumbed to a delivery by the Proteas speedster Kagiso Rabada that edged the ball through to the wicketkeeper.

While the 33-year-0ld yet again missed out on a wonderful opportunity to notch up his elusive 71st International Century, his innings on Tuesday was one of absolute class and resolute, considering the lively nature of the pitch at Newlands.

Rabada, who accounted for the dismissal of four Indian batters, credited his opposition skipper for his disciplined knock.

Kagiso Rabada praises Virat Kohli

During his interaction with the Press post the end of Day 1 of the Test, Rabada admitted the fact that Kohli was right up to the challenge he posed before him, as he planned to consistently bowl away from his body.

Although it was a similar sort of a delivery away from his body, which eventually got him, Rabada praised Kohli for leaving the ball quite well during the course of his innings.

When asked about his contest with Virat Kohli, Rabada exclaimed, “I was trying to swing the ball away, not bowl at his pads. Credit to him, he batted very well. He left well too.

“There is still a lot in the wicket. You don’t have control over conditions. Batsmen have to grind it out.”

Kohli was praised from fans and experts for his percentage knock which comprised 201 deliveries. He, in fact batted with a control percentage of 92 throughout his innings, until being forced to bat aggressively with wickets tumbling down at the other end.

As far as his contest with Rabada in Test Cricket is concerned, the right-hander averaged 98 against him before the innings on Tuesday. Kohli had struck a total of 196 runs, comprising 30 Fours off the Proteas speedster’s bowling.