India's cricket stars, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, are gearing up for their return to international cricket after a hiatus following the ODI World Cup 2023 final loss to Australia. Both players opted for a break from international cricket, and their comeback is eagerly anticipated in the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa.
Kohli made his first media appearance after the ODI World Cup final loss and talked about how important Test cricket is, describing it as a special format. During an interaction on Star Sports before the first Test match, he called himself a traditionalist and admitted that he felt honoured to play Test cricket. "Test cricket, to me, is the foundation of the game. It’s history, it’s culture, it’s heritage. It’s everything to come out on the other side at the end of four days, five days, or whatever the Test goes on to; it’s a different feeling from anything else that you experience,” Kohli was quoted as saying on Star Sports. “As an individual, as a team, the job satisfaction of having played a long innings for your team, making your team and a Test match is probably the most special for me. I’m a traditionalist. You can say, so for me playing in whites, in Test cricket, is everything. That’s what I’ve grown up on, and I’m honoured that I’ve been able to play more than 100 Test matches for my country, and I’ve managed to pursue my dreams of being a Test cricketer,” he added.
Rohit Sharma, the Indian skipper for the Test series against South Africa, joined Kohli in praising Test cricket. He hailed the format as a significant challenge, emphasizing the need to perform at the highest level over all five days to secure victory. "Look, Test cricket, it’s a very, very special format. As a sportsman, you want to be challenged every day. You have to be the best on all five days to win the Test match. So Test cricket, to me, it’s the real test of everything that you have as a person, as a cricketer, and as a sportsman,” Sharma told Star Sports.
The Rohit Sharma-led side will lock horns with South Africa for the Test match, which will be held on 26th December in Centurion. Cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the return of Kohli and Sharma to the international arena, hoping for stellar performances in the challenging Test series against South Africa.
