Virat Kohli congratulates Aiden Markram for stellar knock in second Test

What's the story?

Indian captain Virat Kohli went over to South Africa's new Test opener Aiden Markram to congratulate him on his fine innings of 94 against India on the first day of the second Test at Centurion. While Markram was walking back after falling just short of a hundred, Kohli approached him and said, “Well played, you were unlucky to get out.”

In case you didn't know...

In his short Test career of only seven innings so far, Markram has fallen in the nineties twice already. The first time it happened was in his debut innings against Bangladesh in September 2017, when he was run out for 97.

And against India yesterday, he was dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin for 94 on his home ground. Ashwin, while bowling from around the wicket, induced a thin outside edge and had the 23-year-old opener caught behind.

The heart of the matter

Markram had looked the most fluent of South Africa's batsmen on day one of the Centurion Test on a surface which seemed ideal to bat on. Markram praised the opposition captain for his gesture and said, “It was a great touch from him."

“He is a massive competitor as everyone sees on the TV, but it’s great to see that he has got good values that people off the field might not see. It was a great gesture and it meant a lot,” he added.

What's next?

South Africa ended Day One on 269/6, surrendering a position of strength after being 246/3 at one stage. In the space of three overs, they lost Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock and Vernon Philander to hand over the momentum to India towards the dying stages of the day.

Author's take

To see a fierce competitor like Kohli, who is renowned for an extremely aggressive approach on the field, have a word of encouragement for an inexperienced cricketer is extremely heartening. This move can go a long way in providing confidence to a young batsman like Markram.