'Ball dekhte rehna hath mein uske' - Virat Kohli's batting advice to Shreyas Iyer goes viral

India and South Africa kicked off their two-match Test series at SuperSport Park in Centurion. South African captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to field.

In the 16th over, during Test debutant Nandre Burger's spell, Virat Kohli's batting advice to Shreyas Iyer which was heard on the stump mic went viral, "Ball dekhte rehna hath mein uske, kidhar pakda rahega."

At the start of the match, India faced a tough time with their batting as Kagiso Rabada dismissed skipper Rohit Sharma at the team’s total of just 13 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal, the other opener, only managed to contribute 17 runs before exiting at 23, and soon after, Shubman Gill also fell, leaving India in a difficult situation at 24 for three. The exceptional bowling skills of debutant Nandre Burger played a crucial role in India's early struggles.

Experienced batters, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer then provided stability, guiding India to a total of 92. Both Iyer and Kohli fell victim to Rabada's outstanding bowling after Lunch. Rabada's remarkable spell included dismissing Iyer with a nip backer and Kohli with an outswinger, with both contributing 31 and 38 runs, respectively.

Ashwin faced a brilliant delivery by Rabada, leading to India finding themselves at 121/6. However, KL Rahul emerged as the best batter of the day, steering the tail and adding 84 runs with No. 8, 9, and 10. 

After the day's play, India had scored 208/8, with Rahul remaining unbeaten on 70 off 105 deliveries, comprising ten boundaries and two maximums. Kagiso Rabada exhibited his bowling prowess for South Africa, highlighting why he is regarded as one of the finest in the game by claiming an excellent five-wicket haul. His pace and bounce created consistent problems for the Indian batters, setting the tone for the series on the opening day.

In the end, as expected, the play was called off for the day due to fading light and persistent rain after 59 overs of captivating Test cricket on Boxing Day.