India’s Gen Next batters – especially Kohli and Pujara – shatter pre-tour predictions

If he had left an impression with his candid remarks on Jackman & Co,earlier that same day Kohli had caused a significantly impact on many at Wanderers with bat in hand. On a day where a scarred India were expected to capitulate and crumble against unrelenting coercion from the Proteas,the feisty right-hander had scored a stunning 119. It wasnt only the commentary box that had been left amazed. Mahendra Singh Dhonis young India had in many ways taken the cricket world by surprise.

I would be surprised if anyone expected this Indian team to show such fight. As the game progressed they in fact started dominating proceedings. They really have taken a huge step towards changing the notions that other teams,especially the likes of South Africa,had of them, said Barry Richards,former South African opener and one who has witnessed many Indian teams come here and struggle.

Unlike Richards,Kepler Wessels,former South African captain and opener,was at the Wanderers to witness Indias impressive showing at the Wanderers. And it was the technique of the likes of Kohli and Pujara against the seam and bounce of the Protea pace attack that he insisted on being impressed with.

The technique displayed by the Indian batsmen was just brilliant. They were excellent. Leaving the ball was a key feature of their innings. Their mental approach in building the innings and the way almost all of them went about constructing the innings,on both occasions,was quite something,he said.

Richards also noted that unlike the many Indian batsmen who had visited these shores,the likes of Kohli,Pujara and even Ajinkya Rahane never allowed the South African pace barrage to bully them. If anything they were the ones in control,as Steyns figures of 0/104 in the second innings,his worst-ever would vindicate.

With the earlier Indian teams,there was always a sense of them being intimidated by the conditions and the South African attack. From what we saw at Wanderers,this present lot is intimidated by nothing. They looked fearless and you could see that by the way they handled the pace and bounce at the Wanderers, he added.

staying positive

Richards also felt that the Indian batsmen had not only paced their innings well,they had also ensured that they never got into a shell even when Vernon Philander was moving the ball both ways consistently.

They left the ball brilliantly,and werent fazed by being beaten repeatedly. Crucially,they also made it a point to not let even a single loose delivery get away. They hit a lot of boundaries,and continued to keep the South Africans under pressure, he said.

While Richards insisted that he always expected Kohli to come to the party,the man who had left the more lasting mark on him was Pujara. Virat has always been feisty and he never backs down from any challenge. He would have loved it here. Pujara in contrast is a technician. But dont be fooled though. Hes as aggressive from within. Hes a fighter and his judgement of line and length and the decisiveness off his footwork were perfect. Not many batsmen have come to South Africa and made such an impression in their first outing, said Richards.

Pre-series predictions had touted the inexperienced Indians as being lambs led to slaughter at the cauldron that is the Bullring. But Kohli,and Pujara in the second innings,had shown that the present generation of Indian cricketers werent overawed by reputation or conditions. Instead they were keen on dispelling all myths regarding their fallibility in foreign climes. And despite the eventual result on Sunday,they did just that at the Wanderers.