Virat Kohli was visibly moved when the ‘Ram Siya Ram’ song resonated through Cape Town’s Newlands stadium during the second Test match against South Africa on Wednesday, prompting an emotional reaction from the Indian captain.
As Keshav Maharaj took to the crease, the stadium staff played the ‘Ram Siya Ram’ song, prompting Kohli to fold his hands and mimic pulling a bowstring, portraying Lord Ram. This gesture quickly gained traction on social media after a photo of Kohli in this pose went viral.
India was in a commanding position at that juncture, having claimed eight wickets, with Mohammed Shami particularly excelling by securing six wickets while conceding only 15 runs.
The day began with South African captain Dean Elgar winning the toss and opting to bat first in the crucial second and final Test of the series at Newlands. Having already secured a 1-0 lead in the series with a resounding victory in the first match, the hosts were eager to bid farewell to star opener Dean Elgar on a high note.
Virat Kohli when " Ram Siya Ram " song was played in the stadium 🙏 #SAvsIND
— Savlon Bhoi (@First_follow_me) January 3, 2024
pic.twitter.com/QUHjZ7fast
Virat Kohli when Ram Siya Ram song was played in the stadium.
— Abhishek Ojha (@vicharabhio) January 3, 2024
🙏pic.twitter.com/IbqZSFxjDY
Virat kohli paying tribute to Shri Ram When DJ was playing Ram Siya Ram song in Centurion when Keshav Maharaj to bat#INDvsSA #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/9zdJXA8Rc2
— Varad (@Cric_varad) January 3, 2024
Race between World's fastest fielder Ravindra Jadeja and So-called unfit player Captain Rohit Sharma 🫡🤙 #INDvsSA #RohitSharma𓃵 pic.twitter.com/RR2jI5QBJp
— Immy|| 🇮🇳 (@TotallyImro45) January 3, 2024
Elgar had announced his retirement before the series commenced and was captaining the team in his final international match. This anticipated emotional send-off fueled the Proteas’ determination to put up a strong fight against India.