Virat Kohli’s preparation against Nandre Burger in focus as Team India gears for second Test against South Africa

Virat-Kohli. (Photo Source: X/Twitter)

In a bid to tackle the formidable challenge posed by South African debutant Nandre Burger’s left-arm pace, former India captain Virat Kohli was spotted putting in extensive work during the team’s practice session ahead of the second Test in Cape Town.

During an optional training session at Newlands, Kohli dedicated a significant portion of his practice to hone his skills against left-arm pace, focusing on facing Burger, who made a considerable impact in the first Test with a stellar performance as he claimed seven wickets across both innings.

Kohli engaged in an extended batting session and spent nearly an hour in the center and confronted bowlers. Later he faced high-intensity throwdowns in the outside nets for about 20 to 25 minutes. Notably, he specifically practiced against a local fast bowler of left-arm variety to better prepare himself to counter Burger’s threat. Additionally, he faced deliveries from key Indian bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, R Ashwin, and Avesh Khan to ensure an all-encompassing training regimen.

Shreyas Iyer struggles with the 18-yard challenge 

Meanwhile, concerns arose during the practice session as batter Shreyas Iyer faced discomfort when he faced deliveries from Nuwan Senaviratne, the Sri Lankan left-armer, as he was struck on the stomach while attempting a pull shot. Furthermore, the throwdown specialists who delivered from 18 yards, made Iyer struggle as it abstained from providing the required confidence to the batter.

The fast bowlers, particularly Bumrah and Siraj, focused on targeting lengths between 6 and 8 meters during the center-wicket practice and maintained their consistency and rhythm in their five-over spells. In contrast, Ravichandran Ashwin concentrated on bowling a fuller length against the batters as he will aim for a different strategy to challenge them. As the team gears up for the second Test, their thorough preparation and adaptation to varied bowling styles will aim to bolster their performance in the upcoming encounter against South Africa.