Virat Kohli
ended 2021 without a hundred. In fact, since November 2019 he has not scored a
Test ton. In the ongoing Centurion Test against South Africa, he got out in the
second innings while chasing a delivery. It was the 10th successive overseas
Test innings, Virat Kohli got out while chasing deliveries outside off stump.
After the day’s play, India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour suggested that the
skipper needed to be more judicious while picking deliveries to play cover
drive.

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If Lungi
Ngidi had induced Kohli to play away from his body in the first innings, this
time it was the rookie pacer Marco Jansen who got him. On both occasions, Kohli
had played himself in and was looking to be in control. If the pandemic-hit
2020 had very little long-form cricket, Kohli played 11 Tests in 2021.

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The cover
drive has been Kohli’s signature shot and Rathour backed the captain to
continue with it. “This is the shot that brings him lots of runs, this is his
scoring shot. So, he needs to play that shot and I think it’s always your
strength that turns out to be your weakness as well. When to play that shot,
that’s the part there are constant discussions; was it the right ball, was it
the right stage to play that shot. If we can tighten up our gameplans just a
little more, that will be better,” Rathour said at the post-day press
conference.

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In
2003-2004, while playing 241 runs knock against Australia at the Sydney Cricket
Ground, Sachin Tendulkar completely avoided playing cover drive and drove
towards mid-off instead to cancel out caught-behind and slip cordon. But
Rathour backed Kohli to play the shot while suggesting caution. “That’s the
shot he plays well. That’s the shot he scores loads of runs. So he has to carry
on playing that shot. But he needs to pick maybe better balls at times.”