In a commanding display of bowling prowess, India wrapped up the three-match ODI series against South Africa with a resounding nine-wicket victory in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. The win, which secured a 2-1 series triumph, was orchestrated by a stellar performance from wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who also provided a humorous post-match moment involving his DRS instincts.
Kuldeep's Match-Winning Spell & The Captaincy Slip
Kuldeep Yadav was the chief architect of India's dominant win, returning excellent figures of 4 for 41 from his 10 overs. His spell, combined with Prasidh Krishna's 4-65, successfully restricted South Africa to a total of 270 runs. This came despite a fighting century (106) from Quinton de Kock and a brisk 48 from skipper Temba Bavuma.
Speaking after the match, Kuldeep shared a light-hearted anecdote that revealed his on-field mindset. "With DRS, I'm honestly terrible — and he (Rohit Sharma) never misses a chance to pull my leg about it," Kuldeep admitted with a laugh. "But whenever I'm bowling and hit the pad, I genuinely feel like every ball is a wicket."
In a brief, amusing slip, the bowler initially referred to Rohit Sharma as the captain before quickly correcting himself to name KL Rahul, who led the side in the absence of the regular captain. "So having a captain like him (Rohit), former captain and obviously KL Rahul... KL has been brilliant behind the stumps especially with DRS calls," he added.
The DRS Dynamics & Team Support
Kuldeep elaborated on the crucial role his teammates play in managing his enthusiastic appeals for reviews. He explained that as a bowler, the conviction that every 'not out' decision is actually out is strong, making calm voices around him essential.
"You need people around you who remind you to stay calm. Sometimes they just look at me and say, 'Relax — we only have two DRS reviews'," Kuldeep revealed, highlighting the team's strategic approach to the decision review system. He specifically praised KL Rahul's sharp work with DRS calls from behind the wickets.
Conditions, Toss, and Sealing the Series
Reflecting on the match conditions, Kuldeep expressed relief at finally being able to bowl with a dry ball, a luxury denied in the first two games where India lost the toss. "We lost 20 successive tosses; finally, we won it. Very happy," he stated, acknowledging the advantage.
He also credited the new-ball bowlers, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, for starting well and maintaining tight lines to build early pressure. The comprehensive victory, achieved with plenty of overs to spare, marks another confident step forward in India's ongoing rebuilding process in the 50-over format. Following his performance, Kuldeep posted a celebratory message on Instagram, simply stating: "Fought hard for this one."
