IND vs SA: The packed crowd at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi got to witness three hours of Virat Kohli at his absolute best. Everything was on display – those stylish wristy flicks, the confident charges at the fast bowlers, and straight drives straight out of the Sachin Tendulkar handbook.
It was the perfect answer to anyone questioning Kohli’s place in the ODI setup. His brilliant 135 off 120 balls showed that he is far from done. Even though the next World Cup is two years away, this innings reminded everyone just how valuable he remains in India’s ODI plans.
Virat Kohli’s masterclass powered India to a tight 17-run win over South Africa in the first ODI. The visitors fought hard with strong knocks from Matthew Breetzke (72), Marco Jansen (70), and Corbin Bosch (67), but India just managed to stay ahead.
IND vs SA: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Recreate Old Magic
Fans were treated to a big dose of nostalgia when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma came together for a superb 136-run stand for the second wicket. Rohit, who like Kohli now plays only ODIs, cashed in after Tony de Zorzi dropped him early.
Rohit Sharma went after off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen with huge slog sweeps, and a classic pull shot off Jansen helped him move past Shahid Afridi for the most sixes in ODI history.
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Both senior players also showed remarkable fitness. Rohit threw himself around in the field, and Kohli continued to sprint between the wickets even deep into his innings.
Mixed Day for India’s Young Batters
For youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad, it wasn’t the outing they hoped for. Jaiswal edged a sharp ball from Nandre Burger, and Ruturaj fell to a stunning one-handed catch by Dewald Brevis at point.
India momentarily lost momentum when Washington Sundar came in and scored 13 off 19 balls. Stand-in captain K.L. Rahul played well for his 60 off 56, but he couldn’t provide the explosive finish India wanted.
With dew setting in, South Africa would have backed themselves to chase down 350.
Early Strikes Put India on Top
But early fire from Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh immediately put India in charge. Rana dismissed Ryan Rickleton and Quinton de Kock with pure pace, while Arshdeep removed captain Aiden Markram, leaving South Africa struggling at 11 for three.
Breetzke and Jansen then turned the game around with a quick 97-run stand for the sixth wicket. Jansen smashed the bowlers around and brought the required rate down to seven.
Kuldeep Yadav stepped up with two important wickets to swing the match back India’s way. Bosch kept fighting, bringing the target down to 18 off the last over from Prasidh Krishna.
India Hold Their Nerve
In a tense finish, Bosch mistimed a shot that went straight to Rohit Sharma at cover, finally giving India the breathing space they needed. The players, and especially Virat Kohli, were relieved as India sealed the win to open the series on a high.
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