1st Test: Vernon Philander reveals South Africa's plan for Virat Kohli

Pacer Vernon Philander

The plan was to keep Virat Kohli quiet and South African pace ace, Vernon Philander said his team executed it to perfection during the 72-run win over India in the opening Test here. "Virat is a good player and an aggressive player. The key is to keep him quiet and make sure you set him up for the other one. Initially, it was for me to keep him quiet upfront, and I always knew I had the one coming back," said Philander, who took a career-best six for 42.

"It was probably two-and-a-half overs of away-swingers and then the one back at him. It was a plan to keep him quiet, and drag him across to make sure that when you bowl the other one, he's on the other side of the off-stump," he added, referring to the review asked by Kohli after the umpire ruled him out. Kohli scored five and 28 in the Test.

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