Will Virat Kohli, Mohammad Siraj play in the 3rd Test at Cape Town? Rahul gives update!

Johannesburg, January 6: India succumbed to rather unexpected defeat to South Africa in the second Test here at the Wanderers on Thursday (January 6). SA needed 120 runs on Day 4 to win with 8 wickets in hand.

But at several point India, captained by KL Rahul in the absence of injured Virat Kohli, seemed to have been going through the motions, and struggled to make an impact.

It seemed that India missed the verve of Kohli the captain on this day. It did not help India that pacer Mohammad Siraj was rendered horse de combat with a hamstring injury and he conceded 37 runs in 6 overs.

Siraj had suffered a hamstring niggle in the first innings and had to leave the field for medical attention.

Now, the focus will be on both Kohli and Siraj as whether they can play in the third Test at Cape Town, starting on January 11. Kohli missed the second Test with an spasm on his upper back

Stand-in skipper KL Rahul offered an update on their availability of both Kohli and Siraj.

"Virat is already feeling better, he's been doing a bit of fielding and think he'll be fine," said Rahul.

"With Siraj, we need to monitor him in the nets. It's tough to come back immediately from a hamstring issue, but we do have good bench strength in the form of Umesh and Ishant," he added.

Rahul also said Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are India's best middle-order batters and their knocks in the second innings of the second Test will give them the confidence to do better in the next match.

Pujara along with Rahane stitched a 111-run stand for the third wicket and helped India extend their lead on Wednesday.

Both batters were going through a lean patch but ended up hitting crucial fifties on Day Three of the second Test against South Africa.

“They have been great players for us (on Pujara and Rahane), have always done the job for us over the years, have been under the pump recently, but we believe Pujara and Rahane are our best middle-order players, to go out there, bat in that mindset and play such an innings.

“It'll give them confidence and make them do even better in the next Test," said Rahul after India suffered a defeat in the second Test.