Don’t write off champions: Nathan Lyon on Kohli’s recent batting slump
The Australian team must be hoping to take advantage of Virat Kohli’s prolonged batting slump when the two sides clash in the five-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy
Captain Virat Kohli on Wednesday got past his deputy Rohit Sharma as the leading run-scorer in T20 internationals after his unbeaten 72 helped India record a facile seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the second T20 international here on Wednesday.
Kohli started the match on 2,369 runs in 65 innings to Rohit’s 2,422 runs in 88 innings. While opener Rohit got out LBW to Andile Phehlukwayo for just 12, Kohli went on to notch up his 22nd half-century in T20 internationals and also surpass Rohit at the top of the T20 run-scoring charts.
Kohli now has 2,441 runs from 66 innings to Rohit’s 2,434 from 89 innings. In third is New Zealand’s Martin Guptill who has 2,283 runs from 75 innings. Kohli’s innings on Wednesday was studded with four fours and three sixes and he took 52 balls to remain unconquered on 72. Kohli also took a stunning catch running to his left from mid-off off Navdeep Saini’s bowling in the 12th over to send counterpart Quinton de Kock (52 off 37 balls; 8×4) back in the hut and stymie South Africa’s run-flow as they ended up with 149/5 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first.
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India then posted 151/3 in 19 overs largely due to Kohli’s exploits. The two sides next meet in the final T20 encounter at Bengaluru on Sunday.
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