 India’s Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring a half-century (50 runs) throughout the first one-day worldwide (ODI) cricket match between India and South Africa on the JSCA Worldwide Stadium in Ranchi on November 30, 2025.— AFP
Star batsman Virat Kohli hit a record-extending 52nd one-day century to arrange India’s 17-run win over a spirited South Africa within the first match on Sunday.
Kohli’s 135 got here off 120 balls and he shared a second-wicket partnership of 136 with fellow stalwart Rohit Sharma to set India on track for 349-8 within the japanese metropolis of Ranchi.
Quantity eight Corbin Bosch made a valiant 67 off 51 balls as South Africa fought till nearly the tip. Coming into the fiftieth over, the guests wanted 18 for victory with one wicket left. Bosch fell on the second ball and South Africa had been 332 all out.
Matthew Breetzke, who made 72, and Marco Jansen, with 70, placed on a preventing stand of 97 for the sixth wicket to revived the chase after South Africa slipped to 11-3 after which 77-4.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav stood out with figures of 4-68 within the high-scoring contest.
His double strike to take away Jansen and Breetzke within the house of three balls was the turning level for India who took 1-0 lead within the three-match collection.
The 37-year-old Kohli remained the hero together with his 83rd ton throughout the three worldwide codecs after he raised his hundred with a boundary off Jansen and lifted his bat to a raucous dwelling crowd.
“If you’ve played 300-odd games and so much cricket, you know when you’re hitting balls in practice, you know the reflexes are there and the physical ability is there to bat long,” participant of the match Kohli stated.
“As long as you’re hitting the ball well and playing good cricket, it’s about physically fit, mentally ready and excited.”
Kohli mania
An Indian fan breached safety and raced to the pitch to the touch Kohli’s ft earlier than he was dragged away.
Kohli has probably the most ODI a whole lot, with Indian nice Sachin Tendulkar second with 49.
The Indian cricket star tops the listing of a whole lot in a single format with Tendulkar’s depend in Assessments being 51.
Kohli and 38-year-old Rohit, who made 57, solely play the 50-over format after they retired from T20 and Check cricket.
Their presence boosted India, led by KL Rahul within the absence of the injured Shubman Gill, after a 2-0 Check whitewash towards South Africa.
Rohit misplaced fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal early for 18 however Kohli walked in to an enormous roar from a 38,000-strong capability crowd.
The pair steadied the innings after which took on the bowlers earlier than Rohit was trapped lbw by Jansen.
Rohit hit three sixes in his 51-ball knock. That took him to 352 sixes on this format, overtaking Pakistan batter Shahid Afridi’s document of 351.
Kohli switched gears quickly after reaching his first hundred since February. He hit off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen for 2 fours and two sixes in a 21-run thirty ninth over.
He lastly fell to Nandre Burger, caught by Ryan Rickelton, after hitting 11 fours and 7 sixes.
Rahul saved up the assault with 60 off 56 balls, whereas Ravindra Jadeja made 32 off 20.
Ultimately Bosch’s first ODI half-century made it an in depth contest and far to look ahead forward of the subsequent match is Wednesday in Raipur.
“Great to sit in the change room and watch the guys do their thing,” stand-in-skipper Aiden Markram stated. “Never losing the belief that we can pull off a rabbit from the hat.”
