Known for his lively on-field demeanor, Virat Kohli once again grabbed attention during Mohammed Siraj’s outstanding performance against South Africa in Cape Town.
The incident transpired after the fall of the sixth wicket when Keshav Maharaj stepped onto the field to bat, accompanied by the DJ playing ‘Ram Siya Ram.’ This musical choice, reflecting Keshav’s Hindu faith and heritage, is a customary practice in cricket.
ViratKohli paying tribute to Shri Ram When DJ was playing Jai Shri Ram🚩 song in Centurion when Keshav Maharaj cm to bat.
Virat is A entertainer💃#JaiShreeRam #Ayodhya #EpsteinClientList #ViratKohli #INDvsSA @CricCrazyJohns @mufaddal_vohra pic.twitter.com/FCZvLiiEQh— Dr. Ladla 🇮🇳 (@SonOfChoudhary) January 3, 2024
https://x.com/RVCJ_FB/status/1742485118235914699?s=20
What caught everyone by surprise was Kohli’s response. The 35-year-old captain, in a show of respect to Lord Ram, folded his hands and mimicked an archery move reminiscent of the deity. The incident quickly circulated on social media, with users sharing their reactions.
Interestingly, in a lighthearted exchange the previous month, KL Rahul had humorously mentioned their enjoyment of playing that particular song when Keshav came to bat. Keshav playfully agreed, but divine intervention couldn’t save him in the ongoing Test, as he became the eighth wicket to fall. South Africa was eventually bowled out for 55, with Siraj leading the charge with figures of 6/15. In a swift two-hour session, India had the hosts back in the pavilion.
The ongoing Test holds significant importance for India, as they require a victory to level the series. India’s best Test performance in South Africa was a drawn series under MS Dhoni in 2010-11. Despite touring nine times and winning the opening Test twice, India is yet to secure a Test series victory in South Africa. Between 2006 and 2021, they have won only four Tests on South African soil, with Kohli being the only captain to win two Tests. Rahul Dravid was the first Indian skipper to secure a Test victory in South Africa.
In the earlier T20I series, the teams settled for a 1-1 draw after the first game was abandoned due to rain. India claimed the ODI series 2-1, marking only their second ODI series win in South Africa, with Kohli leading the team to their first triumph in 2018.
