Did Virat Kohli Refuse Handshake With South Africa Coach Shukri Conrad? Viral Video Captures The Moment | WATCH

Virat Kohli: South Africa’s tour of India has been dominated by on-field battles, but an off-field moment has now sparked fresh debate. A viral video from the first ODI in Ranchi claims that Virat Kohli appeared to skip a handshake with South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad during the post-match customary greeting.

The clip begins at the moment Kohli approaches the South African line-up. He is seen walking past Conrad without extending his hand, before shaking hands with the next two players in the queue. However, the short length of the video makes it unclear whether Kohli may have already greeted Conrad earlier, something the footage does not capture.

The ‘Grovel’ Remark That Triggered Backlash

This incident comes just days after Conrad stirred controversy during a press conference after the Guwahati Test. Reflecting on his team’s strong position, he said they wanted the Indian side to “really grovel” by keeping them on the field for extended periods.

The remark sparked widespread criticism due to the historical and racial undertones associated with the word grovel. The term was infamously used in 1976 by England captain Tony Greig, a white South African, when he vowed to make the West Indies team “grovel,” a comment that remains deeply offensive in cricket history.

What Conrad Actually Said In Guwahati

Explaining his tactical decision to delay the declaration, Conrad remarked, “We wanted a newer, harder ball in the morning. When the shadows come in the evening, the quicks get something out of the wicket, so we didn’t want to declare early. We also wanted the Indians to spend as much time as possible on their feet. We wanted them to really grovel, to steal a phrase, bat them out of the game and then challenge them to survive late in the day and again the next morning.”

While Conrad insisted his comments were strictly cricketing in context, the word choice rekindled an uncomfortable chapter in the sport- and has remained a talking point throughout the series.

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