The former India skipper was spotted giving his jersey to the South Africa opener, who had announced his retirement prior to 2-match the Test series
Proteas stand-in skipper Dean Elgar who played his last Test match during the Cape Town Test against India was seen sharing a heartwarming moment with former India skipper Virat Kohli. Kohli was spotted giving his jersey to the South Africa opener, who had announced his retirement prior to the 2-match the Test series. Elgar stepped in for Temba Bavuma, who had to sit out of the decisive match owing to a hamstring injury.
Previously, Kohli demonstrated profound respect for Elgar, who was in the midst of his final innings before bidding farewell to international cricket. After Mukesh Kumar dismissed Elgar for 12 runs, Kohli, positioned at first slip, successfully caught the ball that marked Elgar’s last stroll back to the pavilion.
Acknowledging the gravity of the moment, Kohli promptly signaled to the Indian crowd, urging them not to revel in the wicket. Instead, he humbly bowed to Elgar as a display of reverence and warmly embraced the departing South African stand-in skipper. Following Kohli’s lead, the Indian team refrained from exuberant celebrations and chose to extend their congratulations to Elgar for his illustrious career.
Elgar retires with remarkable figures, boasting of 5,347 runs in 86 Test matches, featuring 14 centuries and an average of 37.65.
The challenging pitch conditions in Cape Town led to a record total of 23 wickets falling on the first day—a joint-highest for a single day of Test cricket in South Africa. The match also created history as the shortest-ever Test match to be played. The entire contest culminated in a total of five sessions after Mohammed Siraj’s and Bumrah’s respective six-wicket hauls in the Proteas first and second innings.
However, Kohli’s gesture transcended the competitive essence of the game, embodying the genuine spirit of cricket and camaraderie among players.
ALSO READ: India register new record with series-levelling win in South Africa
Meanwhile, India leveled the series against South Africa with a convincing seven-wicket victory. Jasprit Bumrah’s exceptional 6 for 61 played a pivotal role in dismissing South Africa for 176 in their second innings just before lunch on Day 2 after Aiden Markram’s century set India a target of 79 runs.
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