IND vs SA - Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's hug steals the show as India sparks Proteas' batting collapse for 55

After a disappointing end to 2023, Team India has certainly made it a mission to commence the New Year 2024 on a high note, and their impressive start to the 2nd Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town attests to that commitment. The Proteas were reduced to a mere 55 runs all out on Day 1 of the Test, marking the first time a team has been dismissed for such a low total against the Men in Blue.

In his final Test, Dean Elgar won the toss and chose to bat on a pitch with a fair amount of grass. However, what ensued was carnage as Mohammed Siraj bowled a magical spell, showcasing swing, seam, and accuracy. As Team India celebrated this low total, what caught the attention of fans was the camaraderie shared between the two senior batters, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

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Mohammed Siraj exhibited exceptional form, claiming six wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah and Mukesh Kumar each secured two wickets. Amid this remarkable bowling performance, Rohit and Kohli's on-field discussions and hugs were the talk of social media. Images of the two engrossed in serious discussions during overs circulated and shortly after, as wickets continued to fall, the duo was also spotted sharing a hug.

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Fans took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to discuss the strong bond between the two players and share their observations about the host nation's batting collapse in a stadium where India has never won.

In preparation for the 2nd Test against South Africa, Team India has made two changes to their playing XI. The seasoned all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, has made a comeback to the Test setup in the ongoing edition of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

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Teams:

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar

South Africa (Playing XI): Dean Elgar(c), Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi