Veteran South Africa opener Dean Elgar called time on his international career after the recent two-Test series against India. As a tribute to the retiring Proteas opener, Kohli gave him a tight hug and bowed down to him as well.
Elgar recorded his final Test appearance for the Proteas in the Cape Town decider against India. Kohli and Elgar had nothing but respect for each other when the two gladiators last met on a cricket field. Kohli also gifted the former South Africa skipper a signed jersey at Cape Town.
Elgar retired from the game after scoring 5,347 runs in 86 Tests for the Proteas. The former South African international slammed 14 centuries and 23 half-centuries for his team.
However, during a podcast, Elgar revealed an unknown side of Virat Kohli while recalling his ‘shocking’ first encounter with the talismanic batter of the Indian team back in 2015. Elgar revealed that Kohli even 'spat’ at him during the Test series in India.
"Those wickets were jokes. Like playing on that... that surface there. And I came into bat and I was actually like holding my own against Ashwin and what's his name Jeja, Jeja, Jeja (Ravindra Jadeja) (smiles) and Kohli, he like spat at me. I said to him if you do that, I'll ******g ***** you with this bat," he added, using a local profanity," Elgar said on Banter with The Boys podcast.
During the same podcast, Elgar mentioned former South Africa captain AB de Villiers, when asked whether Kohli knew the meaning of the word.
“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 the Indian) but barking up the wrong tree yeah. Anyways, we are in India so you got to be a little bit cautious,” he added.
Elgar, however, revealed that Kohli apologised to him for his behaviour over a few drinks when India toured South Africa in 2017-18.
"Two three years later, Kohli pulled me aside and said 'listen, can we go and have a drink after the series i want to apologise for my actions'. So we drank till 3 in the morning. This is when he used to drink," he concluded.
(NDTV inputs)
