India vs South Africa: Gavaskar wants Virat Kohli to call up Sachin Tendulkar on New Year

As India defeated South Africa in first India vs South Africa Test of the three-match series, Virat Kohli & co put on a brilliant display both with the bat in and then with the ball in the first two innings of the match. India posted a total of 327 courtesy of a brilliant century from KL Rahul and then the bowling unit managed to dismantle the South African team for 197 with Mohammed Shami being the pick of the bunch as he took five wickets. However, in India's second innings, it seemed that the batsmen were facing trouble in staying at the crease and skipper Virat Kohli came under scrutiny again as he departed playing a rather hasty shot, having scored just 18 runs from 32 balls.

Kohli has not been in great form with the bat in Test matches the entire year. He has struggled a lot even in the series that India have won. In fact, he has not scored a century in the past two years which is a little bit of a troubling sign for a player who otherwise is one of the most reliable with the bat.

India vs South Africa: Gavaskar's words of advice for Kohli

But former India cricketer and legend Sunil Gavaskar has some words of advice for the Test skipper in that he should give Sachin Tendulkar a call to wish him a Happy New Year. And maybe while he's on the call he can then pick Tendulkar's brain about how he changed his technique back in 2003-04 against Australia. The same series where he went on to score 241 not out in the first innings and then 60 not out in the second.

"It would be fantastic if he calls Sachin Tendulkar up to wish him a Happy New Year and during that talk, maybe just check up with him on how he curbed his off-side shots in the year 2003-04 against Australia. He was getting out caught in covers or caught behind and then, in the fourth Test match, he decided he's not going to play through covers. He was only going to play through mid-on or maybe straighter and on the inside. And what did he end up with? 241 not out in the first innings, and 60-something not out (60*) in the second. So, just maybe wishing him up a Happy New Year and maybe picking his brains on how he did it, it might help him as well," Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

Image: PTI