South Africa v India

Watch: Virat Kohli takes sharp, diving grab at slip to complete 100 Test catches

by Wisden Staff January 12, 2022 - 4:18pm 2 minute read

Watch: Virat Kohli brought up a century of catches in Test cricket with a diving take at second slip to send back Temba Bavuma on day two of the Cape Town Test between South Africa and India.

Bavuma had built a steady partnership with Keegan Petersen, taking South Africa from 112-4 to 153-4, when Mohammed Shami returned for another spell, replacing Shardul Thakur. After bowling a maiden to Bavuma, he returned to test the hosts’ No.5 again: Bavuma, though, smacked a length ball first up from Shami for a four off the first ball, moving to 28.

Shami then pushed back his length a bit, bowling it just wide of the off-stump and prompting another stroke from Bavuma. He gently poked at it, the ball carrying enough on it to travel behind towards the slip cordon.

With the ball dying on him, Kohli, at second slip, flung to his left, diving sharply to complete a fine catch to give Shami his second wicket and break the stand. It was his 100th catch in Test cricket: among non-wicketkeepers, only five Indians – Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammad Azharuddin have taken more.

In all formats, Kohli lies behind only Rahul Dravid among Indian fielders, with 274 catches compared to Dravid’s 334.