Premier Proteas pacer Kagiso Rabada revealed how he got the better of Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test in Centurion. Kohli looked solid during his 38-run knock and covered the swing well but Rabada’s outswinger got a faint edge.
The Proteas paceman was at his lethal best on the opening day of the mega clash as he claimed his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
India were restricted to 208 for 8 in 59 overs by South Africa on a truncated first day of the opening Test at Supersport Park on Tuesday, and the awkward bounce became the visiting team batters’ undoing.
When asked about Kohli’s dismissal, Rabada was all smiles in the press conference after the day’s play.
“It swung away late,” Rabada said.
“For some reason, most of the times he played and missed, he covered the channel. With him, you always need to be on. I was glad that I could get that fainty (faint edge),” Rabada said.
Rabada was impressed with his performance and said they are happy to restrict India to 208/8 after the day’s play.
“(Such) days happen in cricket. This was my day. Pretty happy with the way I bowled. India have quite a bit of experience and if anyone told us that it will be 208 for 8, we would have taken that before the game,” said Proteas pace spearhead.
He also praised KL Rahul’s attritional batting as the wicketkeeper batter remained unbeaten on 70 at stumps.
“His (stroke-making) options were good, he defended well, always someone stands out and he was that batter today,” he added.
The Proteas pacers bowled 65 deliveries on the leg-stump channel with a leg slip in place during the first session.
“The two left-armers were in attack and were swinging the ball in. It seemed like a tactic after lunch. It was Temba (Bavuma), who had a gut feeling about how to get a wicket and did feel logical to keep the leg slip. We almost got Virat at square leg. After lunch, it was again a gut feel thing, we changed tactics,” said Rabada.
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