‌SA vs IND | Twitter abuzz on Kohli’s blissful six under pressure, countering the Proteas with disdain

South Africa’s lead of 163 runs after the second innings put automatic pressure on the Indian batters as they came to bat in the second session of the Boxing Day Test. The Proteas bowlers were quick to remove the Indian top three and exert pressure on the hosts before Virat Kohli’s wristy six over deep cover acted as a sigh of relief for the touring party.

A surface where the Indian bowlers toiled hard in the morning session sounded like a different strip when the Proteas bowlers precisely executed their plans. The scorecard read 72-4 after 17.5 overs when the Men in Blue lost Shreyas Iyer to Marco Jansen. With a meagre batting line-up on queue, Kohli countered the pressure in the following over with a brilliant six off Gerald Coetzee in the third ball of the 19th over. 

The speedster dished a short delivery outside the off stump and Kohli transferred his weight on the back foot to loft it over the deep cover region for a six. On a surface where the Indian batters failed to play their strokes, the Indian talisman timed a tricky shot with lovely wrist work and bottom handed touch. For a brief moment, the broadcasters failed to pick where the ball landed but the umpire’s gestures confirmed that it was a maximum out of nowhere for the hosts. 

The Twitterati were quick to pick this moment and poured down praises for Kohli.

What a shot

pic.twitter.com/kGEBl1RQVa

— Virat Sharma (@ViratSharm39743) December 28, 2023

25th six with a style 

25th Test Six for Virat Kohli pic.twitter.com/XbftGlDohi

— Abhi (@Abhishek43Jain) December 28, 2023

King shot

What a shot for six from King Kohli 👑



- He is looking for big one. pic.twitter.com/ggQ9j3FPGo

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 28, 2023

What a six

WHAT A SIX BY VIRAT KOHLI. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oqFUZffmIi

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 28, 2023

Great hit

🚨 STOP THE PRESS 🚨



Virat Kohli has just hit a six to a fast bowler in the off-side.

— Aditya Saha (@Adityakrsaha) December 28, 2023

Praises from everywhere

What a six by Virat Kohli 🥵💉 pic.twitter.com/nNJJ5BGkd9

— ` (@imleser82) December 28, 2023

First test six in 2023

First six for Virat Kohli in 2023 Test Cricket. pic.twitter.com/tnOLbFaZdJ

— Cricket🏏 Lover // ICT Fan Account (@CricCrazyV) December 28, 2023

It will stay forever

This six by Virat Kohli gonna stay up in my mind for long long time. ✨🤍#INDvSA. #ViratKohlipic.twitter.com/rL5xTXrjfF

— Akshat (@AkshatOM10) December 28, 2023

Good one

That six off Coetzee was Virat Kohli's 25th six in Test cricket. He has now hit as many sixes in Tests as Mohammed Shami ; going past Umesh Yadav's tally of 24 :)#INDvsSA

— Rhitankar Bandyopadhyay (@rhitankar8616) December 28, 2023

At its maximum

WHAT A SIX BY VIRAT KOHLI. 🔥

KOHLI GOES FOR THE MAXIMUM! 🏏



The last time Kohli hit a six inside the first 50 balls of his innings in a Test was back in 2019 against South Africa in Vizag.



Kohli has managed it only 9 times in Tests.#INDvSA #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/K4IDW282ov

— Malik Mubashir (@MalikMu24083494) December 28, 2023