Kohli steps up to the plate

VIRAT Kohli stands 10cm taller than Sachin Tendulkar. On the opening day of the test series between SA and India at the Wanderers yesterday, he grew several feet in stature. To Kohli has fallen the mission impossible of succeeding Tendulkar at No 4 in India’s batting line-up. How to replace a retired god? Score a century. And not just any century – score one that matters.  Kohli’s career-best 119, hammered out on an unforgiving anvil of a pitch for four-and-a-half hours in which he faced 181 balls and hit 18 fours, was exactly that. It was also the key to India reaching 255/5 at stumps. No-one has Tendulkar’s temperament, experience or sense of responsibility, and few have his talent and skill. But Kohli, playing in his 21st test, showed yesterday that he has enough of those qualities to not let his team down. Or, as Allan Donald, said: “When the chips were down, Sachin Tendulkar came to the party. I was reminded of that today.” Kohli spoke as he batted, well within himself: “They were big shoes to fill, but I had a plan and it’s always nice when you plan something and it comes together.” He took guard with...