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Dean Elgar, who recently bid farewell to his international cricket career following the Test series against India, shared a significant revelation about Indian batting sensation Virat Kohli, recounting an incident from their Test series in 2015.
Dean Elgar’s revelation about Virat Kohli
Elgar, part of the touring squad during Kohli’s inaugural Test series as captain on home soil, provided insights into this episode during the Betway ‘Banter with the Boys’ Podcast. In this series, where the Proteas faced a 0-3 defeat to India, Elgar faced challenges, amassing 137 runs in 4 matches at an average of 19.57.
During the podcast conversation, Elgar disclosed that Kohli spat on him, prompting Elgar to respond by displaying his bat in front of the Indian batter. When the podcast host inquired whether Kohli comprehended the conveyed words during the heated exchange, Elgar affirmed that Kohli understood, thanks to his Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate AB de Villiers, who was also present at that moment with the South Africa Team.
“I came into bat and, I was actually like holding my own against Ashwin and what’s his name Jeja, Jeja, Jeja (Ravindra Jadeja) and Kohli spat at me. I said to him if you do that, I’ll **** you with this bat,” Elgar said.
“Yes, he did because de Villiers was his teammate at RCB, so he understood. And I said if you do that, I’ll **** on this field, I’ll absolutely knock you out. And then [he said] ‘Hey **** you, **** you’ (mimicking Kohli), barking up the wrong tree. Anyways, we are in India so you got to be a little bit cautious,” the 36-year-old added.
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Intervention by AB de Villiers
Elgar further shared that De Villiers, upon learning about the incident, discussed it with Kohli, his close friend. Although Elgar didn’t specify when De Villiers addressed the matter with Kohli, he revealed that Kohli later invited him for a drink to sincerely apologize.
“De Villiers found out what he did, and went up to him and asked ‘why are you spitting at my teammate?’ Two years later in South Africa, he called me and asks he could go with me for a drink after the series. He said he wanted to apologise for his actions. We drank till 3 and ya, that was my first encounter with Kohli,” the Welkom-born cricketer concluded.
From controversy to camaraderie
The rivalry reached its conclusion earlier this year when Elgar retired after the New Year’s 2024 Test in Cape Town as Kohli embraced him warmly and presented a signed jersey, marking a poignant moment in their cricketing journey.
