IND vs SA, 1st Test: Virat Kohli does a Stuard Broad with 'bail flip' magic; Englishman responds (WATCH)
In an attempt to break the opposition's batting dominance during the second day of the first Test against South Africa in Centurion on Wednesday, Virat Kohli resorted to a touch of superstition, resulting in positive outcomes for his team.
FollowWhen bowlers face challenges and struggle to make an impact, the entire team collaborates to strategize and change their fortunes. In an attempt to break the opposition's batting dominance during the second day of the first Test against South Africa in Centurion on Wednesday, Virat Kohli resorted to a touch of superstition, resulting in positive outcomes for his team.
Dean Elgar and Tony de Zorzi were comfortably batting, frustrating the Indian bowlers and scoring runs effortlessly. Amidst this, Kohli decided to try a different approach. During the 28th over, he walked up to the stumps and flipped the bails at one end, introducing an element of superstition to alter the course of the game.
In the subsequent 29th over, Tony de Zorzi, having scored 28 runs from 62 balls, was caught at the third slip by Yashasvi Jaiswal. The breakthrough provided a crucial wicket for the Indian team. Following that, in the 31st over, Jasprit Bumrah struck again, dismissing Petersen, who had managed only 2 runs from 7 balls.
Interestingly, in a similar fashion, former English pacer Stuart Broad had employed a comparable trick during the Ashes 2023 series. This maneuver preceded his dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne in the Oval Test. Reacting to Kohli's antics, Broad shared a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Despite Kohli's captivating bail-flipping gesture, the magic proved short-lived, and Elgar managed to regain control. The former South Africa captain, bidding farewell in his final series, showcased his prowess by notching his 14th Test century.
India concluded their innings at 245, with Rahul, who scored 101 runs from 137 balls, once again proving to be the 'Man of Crisis.'
