India, Jan. 11 -- Hundreds of miles away from the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, where India's ODI side is camped for the home-series opener against New Zealand, and across the Arabian Sea, Virat Kohli's name surfaced more than once during a brief interaction South Africa great Allan Donald had with Indian reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing SA20.

Donald, who worked closely with Kohli during his stint as Royal Challengers Bangalore's bowling coach nearly a decade ago, spoke with unmistakable warmth about the former India captain, his hunger, his work ethic, and the void his absence has left in the Test arena.

During his storied career, Donald shared many memorable duels with India's "Little Master" Sachin Tendulkar, contests that earned...