Virat Kohli’s form and knowledge of South African conditions will be key to India’s success in the upcoming two-Test series, according to legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis.
India is scheduled to play two red-ball games in Centurion and Cape Town from December 26-30 and January 3-7, respectively, as part of the ICC World Test Championship.
“I am sure he will want to have a big series here in South Africa. He has been in good form. He will play a major role in helping India. If they are to win here, he will have to have a good series,” Kallis said.
Kohli amassed 932 runs from 30 innings to emerge as the highest run-scorer for India during the last WTC cycle. He has already scored a century and a fifty in two completed Tests against the West Indies as part of the current cycle.
Kohli is in imperious form, having racked up a whopping 765 runs in the ODI World Cup on home soil to be awarded the Player of the Tournament.
“He’s a massive player, no matter where it is. Having played here quite a bit and had a fair amount of success,” Kallis said. “He’ll be able to pass that knowledge on to the other guys, especially the younger guys and give them ideas on how to manage these conditions and then what to expect.”
Kohli, 35, scored two of his 29 Test centuries against the Proteas away from home. India had suffered a 1-2 loss in South Africa during the last World Test Championship cycle.
“This is a good Indian team, but South Africa is tough to beat in South Africa,” Kallis said. “Centurion will probably suit South Africa, and Newlands will probably suit India. It will be a good series, and it will come down to one or two sessions that one team might play better than the other. It would be a closely-fought contest.
