SA wicket-keeper de Kock says current Team India's seam attack is best he has ever faced
India's gutsy performance in South Africa in the three-match Test series has earned Virat Kohli's team a lot of admirers. And one among them is Protea wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock.
Having heard stories about many an Indian teams meekly surrendering on South Africa's pacy and bouncy wickets in the past, de Kock was surprised at the fight Kohli's side put up on their recent tour earlier this year.
"They came to South Africa, played the bounce really well. I think it is something which will keep on happening now. They are not going to be scared anymore," said de Kock at the launch of his Spintechs Spin Mat' at the MIG Cricket Club ground on Thursday afternoon, a facility that would help the batters improve their skills on spinning pitches.
"They (Indians) were too good on wickets which had good bounce and pace. Guys like (Ajinkya) Rahane, Rohit (Sharma), Shikhar (Dhawan) with Virat Kohli and Dhoni (in ODIs) are not scared to take on the opposition," the 25-year-old southpaw added.
The Johannesburg-born cricketer also heaped praise on India's pace attack that set foot in South Africa, adding that the upcoming series between India and England will be a "good contest".
"I think the Indian seam attack is one of the best I have ever faced. They were really good in South Africa. Having grown up on wickets where the margin of error is so less (and) then coming to seamer-friendly wickets and bowling so well is just so good.
"The likes of Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar), (Jasprit) Bumrah, Hardik (Pandya), (Mohd) Shami and Ishant (Sharma) all are so consistent and the opposition will struggle against them. It's one of the hardest bowling attack you can take on, especially when you open," de Kock said.
Not just the fast bowling battery, de Kock was also in awe of Indian spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, who made the South Africans dance to their tunes in the limited-overs series.
"I think when Yuzi and Kuldeep came to South Africa, they were very much unknown. And I think that's what really made us struggle, not knowing what they bowl and how they bowl. I have played against Yuzi a couple of times, while AB has played him before. Guys were struggling to pick Kuldeep, who just bowled very well. He bowled so slow to us that we didn't know what to do," he said.
De Kock refrained from talking about the Royal Challengers Bangalore's poor performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League. However, the southpaw had only good things to say about his captain Virat Kohli.
"Virat is very competitive by nature. What stands out to me is that he just wants to be the best. And someone who always wants to win. Virat is a guy with attitude who always wants to win, always want to be the best. Only good can come from it and that's what is happening in his career through his leadership, winning tournaments (for India). He just wants to give 100 per cent and wants to make his country proud," he said.
Working with Kohli closely over the last couple of months, de Kock has realised that the India captain might look emotional from the outside, but that isn't quite the case.
"He's not quite (emotional) actually. When you play against him, he seems very emotional. But now that when you play with him, it's just Virat being Virat. He's very passionate about what he does. Even when he plays soccer, if he doesn't win, doesn't do well, that's just him being him," he said.
The wicket-keeper also commended his Protea team-mate and pacer Kagiso Rabada for his performances recently.
"Rabada is a special player. He is very similar to Virat in the way not emotionally but in the way he wants to do well for the team. He always wants to be the best, always wants to be the guy leading from the front. He always wants to be leading the bowling attack and at 22 that's quite scary. He could be a future legend, but as of now he's just trying to do his best, trying to win games for South Africa and hopefully win one or two trophies," he said.
GARY LAUDS KOHLI
- Virat Kohli’s insatiable hunger to improve is a characteristic of a great player, says Gary Kirsten, who had coached the India captain during his three-year stint with the national team. “He is a great player. He continues to improve and get better. I enjoy working with him because he continually wants to learn about the game and all the great players do that,” Kirsten said. The former Proteas opener also backed Kohli’s decision of playing County cricket to get used to the conditions ahead of the England tour. “It is good for him to prepare (for the England tour), for any player preparation is good,” he said.
QDK ON D/N TESTS
Quinton de Kock says day-night Test cricket is a good concept but needs a few things to be sorted out. “There is a problem with the ball at certain times of the day, particularly in the twilight period,” he said.
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