Virat Kohli needs to 'pick better balls': India batting coach Vikram Rathour on Test skipper's outside-off struggles

Centurion: India batting coach Vikram Rathour has said that Test captain Virat Kohli needs to "pick better balls" after he paid the price for fishing an outside the off-stump delivery.

Kohli's poor run with the bat continued in the second innings against South Africa as he gave away his wicket on the first ball after lunch for 18. It was debutant Marco Jansen who took the prized wicket. In the first innings as well, Kohli had thrown away his wicket while chasing a wide delivery outside-off.

"This is the shot that brings him loads of runs. This is his scoring shot. He needs to play that shot. I think it's always your strength that turns out to be your weakness as well," Rathour said in a virtual press conference.

"When to play that shot, that's the part we are having constant discussions, like was it the right ball or right stage to play that shot. He has to carry on playing that shot but he needs to pick maybe better balls," he added.

The 33-year-old's dismissal meant that he will end second straight year without any international hundred. Kohli, who made his Test debut in 2011, has 27 hundreds in the format. He last reached the three-digit mark during the Day-Night Test against Bangladesh in 2019, when he scored 136 off 194 balls.

Meanwhile, Rathour heaped praises on disciplined Indian bowling attack. While Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj picked up one each.

Bumrah bowled a beautiful length ball outside off from wide of the crease which cut back in and knocked the top of off-stump of Rassie van der Dussen.

"That's the quality of the bowler. He's (Bumrah) really setting himself well," remarked Rathour.

"Not only Bumrah, all of them bowled really well today at good lengths. Bumrah bowled a superb ball at that stage. And even the last ball he bowled, the last wicket (of Keshav Maharaj) he took, I think it was extraordinary bowling. That's what you expect from somebody like him," he added.

South Africa ended the fourth day on 94/4. India need 6 wickets to go one up in the three-match series, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship.

Dean Elgar stood strong on 52 not out to see off the final session. South Africa still require 211 runs on final day, which could be affected by rain as the predicted weather report doesn't look promising. (UNI)