Kohli's Masterclass and Rohit's Record-Breaking Performance
In a spectacular display of batting prowess, India clinched a hard-fought 17-run victory against South Africa in the first ODI at JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday. The match, dominated by the legendary Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma partnership, saw India post a mammoth 349/8 before restricting the visitors to 332 in their chase.
Record-Breaking Partnership and Milestones
The foundation of India's imposing total was laid by the formidable Ro-Ko duo, who put together a 136-run stand for the second wicket. This marked their 20th century partnership in ODIs, placing them joint second alongside Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, with only Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly ahead with 26 century partnerships.
Rohit Sharma, playing in his 392nd international appearance alongside Kohli, created history by becoming the batter with most sixes in ODI history. His tally of 352 sixes surpassed Shahid Afridi's long-standing record. The Indian captain raced to a 43-ball half-century before eventually departing for 57 off 51 balls, including five boundaries and three maximums.
Virat Kohli, continuing his love affair with Ranchi, treated the packed stadium to a vintage performance, scoring his 52nd ODI century - his third at this venue. The master batsman reached his milestone in 102 balls, celebrating with his trademark leap and punch in the air as the entire stadium gave him a standing ovation.
South Africa's Valiant Chase Falls Short
Chasing an imposing 350 under lights, South Africa suffered a disastrous start, slumping to 11/3 in the second over with Harshit Rana taking two wickets in three balls. However, the visitors displayed remarkable resilience through Matthew Breetzke's patient 72 off 80 balls and Marco Jansen's explosive 70 from just 39 deliveries.
The pair stitched together a crucial 97-run partnership for the sixth wicket, keeping South Africa in the hunt. Later, Corbin Bosch's valiant 67 off 51 balls took the game deep, but his dismissal - caught by Rohit Sharma at cover - ultimately sealed India's victory. The Proteas fell 17 runs short of what would have been a record chase in Ranchi.
India's bowling attack, led by Kuldeep Yadav who broke the dangerous Jansen-Breetzke partnership, held their nerve in the death overs to secure a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The victory helped India move past the Test debacle suffered against the same opponents just five days earlier.
The match also saw India continue their unfortunate streak with the coin, losing their 19th consecutive toss in ODIs as stand-in captain Aiden Markram elected to field first in the absence of regular skipper Temba Bavuma, who missed out due to a niggle.
