WATCH | Stupefied Rahane and Kohli scream at each other to return to crease

India faced an early scare on the morning of the third day of the Johannesburg Test as Lokesh Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara returned to the pavilion in a space of six runs. Though Virat Kohli looked to forge a promising partnership with a settled Murali Vijay, they could add just 43 runs more before the opener was seen walking back.

The incident in question took place in the 48th over when Morne Morkel was bowling his fifth bowl of the over to Rahane, who was seemingly growing into the game with every confident boundary. The Mumbaikar unleashed a lightning cover-drive that looked destined for a boundary but for AB de Villers, whose super acrobatic effort at full stretch to his right not only prevented it but also reduced the pace to minimum as he pushed it towards mid-off.

The brilliant but unexpected fielding unsettled a calm Rahane, who was already halfway down the pitch a single before an over-protective Kohli, who clearly wasn’t risking a single on a misfield, categorically denied the run and asked Rahane to return. However, quite funnily Rahane was also seen yelling at Kohli from the other side, pointing him at the ball that, by now, had reached near the non-striker’s end after hitting de Villiers’ hand.

However, South Africa’s lack of enthusiasm surrounding the incident didn’t see the Indian players in any danger whatsoever, although Kohli was later heard calming an animated Rahane stating ‘nahi, bohotdurtha’ which translates as ‘don’t worry, the ball was far from my crease’.