India’s legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar expects Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to shine with the bat in the 2-match Test series against South Africa. The Indian team will reconvene their quest to register a maiden Test series win in South Africa as they take on the Proteas for the final leg of the tour.

Team India’s stalwarts Kohli and Rohit will be back in action after their heart-breaking loss in the ODI World Cup final against Australia on November 19. The senior players were rested for the ODI and T20I series against South Africa. In their absence, India managed to win the ODI series 2-1 and drew the T20I series 1-1.

Gavaskar, while speaking on Star Sports, showed faith in Kohli and Rohit to score runs in the much-anticipated Test series. He also reckoned that the South African attack doesn’t have the edge to pose much threat to Indian batters this time.

“They are experienced batters, who are coming after playing everywhere, so I expect them to score lots of runs in these two Test matches. Not only because they have got so much talent, but this time around, I think the South African attack does not have that edge,” Gavaskar said.

Kohli and Rohit were the top performers for India in the ODI World Cup 2023. They finished as two of the highest run-scorers in the tournament with Kohli scoring 765 runs and Rohit amassing 597 runs in 11 innings.

In fact, Kohli boasts of a sensational Test record in South Africa as he has scored 719 runs in 14 innings with a remarkable average of 51.36. Kohli notched up two centuries and three fifties on South African soil. Kohli’s highest Test score in South Africa is of 153, that came in the 2018-19 series. On the same tour, Kohli went on to score 286 runs in 3 matches at an average of 47.66. Despite India’s challenging history of winning Test series in South Africa, Kohli’s individual performances have always stood out.

However, Rohit will look to better his Test record in South Africa. Across four matches in South Africa, he has aggregated 123 runs at an average of 15.37. Gavaskar feels that with the absence of key South African pacers, Kohli and Rohit will get to score a lot of runs on South African soil.

“With the absence of Nortje, with the likely absence of Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, the South African attack looks a little bit short on experience, I am not saying short of class. So I feel these two batters will score lots of runs and help the Indian team post a big score,” Gavaskar said.

However, South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad confirmed Rabada and Ngidi’s availability for selection for the 1st Test match. Rabada and Ngidi are recovering from heel and ankle injury respectively.