For the third time in his illustrious career, Virat Kohli will go without an international century in a calendar year (2008, 2020 and 2021) after getting out for 18 runs on Wednesday.
Day 4 Blog | Scorecard | News
India, playing their last match of 2021, set a 305-run target for South Africa in the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park, Centurion. And it was Kohli's last chance to script a three-figure score in 2021. But it didn't happen.
Kohli, who made his India debut in 2008 in an ODI match against Sri Lanka, has 70 international centuries. But the India Test captain is having a lean phase and his last international ton was 136 against Bangladesh in the Kolkata Day-Night Test in 2019. And many have claimed that 'King Kohli' is not the same batter he used to be. The numbers are telling.
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On Day 4 of the Test, the 33-year-old paid the price for fishing outside the off-stump and became a victim of Marco Jansen's out-swinging delivery.
Kohli's dismissal became a talking point with fans taking to social media platforms to share their views on why the batting great is struggling.
Watch the dismissal here:
And here are some reactions, some outlandish and some chastening:
India resumed the penultimate day's play at the overnight score of 12/1 but lost quick wickets, and finally folded for 174 all out.
The three-match South Africa vs India series is part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2021-23.
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The second Test at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg starts January 3, 2021. The third match will be played at Newlands, Cape Town, starting January 11.
The Tests will be followed by a three-match ODI series.
