After a dominant Test run at home, Virat Kohli and Co. are set for the tough tour of South Africa, starting with the first Test of the three-match series from January 5 at Newlands in Cape Town. But India spin legend Bishan Singh Bedi believes skipper Virat Kohli is yet to face real competition and the upcoming tough tour of South Africa will test his batting as well as captaincy skills.
Bedi went on to compare the success of India badminton star PV Sindhu with Kohli.
Bedi praised Sindhu for her continued success against top players at the world level and dared Kohli would be “struggling” to achieve what the Olympic medallist shuttler has attained over the years. Bedi said Kohli will now face his real competition in the upcoming tour of South Africa.
“Sindhu has achieved a lot over the years and I dare Kohli would be struggling,” the former India cricket captain said.
“She has been competing with the best of the world, but Kohli will now be competition with the best of world in South Africa. The tour of South Africa will be a test for Kohli,” Bedi added.
India have not won a single Test series in the ‘Rainbow Nation’ for the past 25 years.
Indian teams over the years have struggled with the bounce that South African pitches offer, having won only two Test matches over the years. The best result came during the 2010-11 series, which India drew 1-1.
The Kohli-led Indian cricket team on Friday landed in South Africa and reached their Cape Town hotel late on Thursday night. Kohli along with wife Anushka Sharma were seen entering the hotel together as India gear up for their 56-day long tour of South Africa.
The Indian team will play three Tests, six One-Day Internationals (ODI) and three Twenty20 Internationals against South Africa with the first Test beginning on January 5 in Cape Town.