India wrapped up a convincing 2-1 ODI series victory against South Africa with a commanding nine-wicket win in the decisive third match at Visakhapatnam's Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Saturday. The triumph was headlined by a spectacular maiden ODI century from young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Jaiswal Joins Elite Club With Maiden ODI Ton
Chasing a target of 271 runs set by the Proteas, India made light work of the total, reaching 273 for the loss of just one wicket in 44.2 overs. The architect of the chase was the 23-year-old Yashasvi Jaiswal, who remained unbeaten on a brilliant 116 runs. This knock, coming off just 111 deliveries in only his fourth ODI appearance, made him the youngest Indian to score centuries in all three international formats.
Jaiswal shared a match-defining opening stand of 155 runs with captain Rohit Sharma, who played a fluent innings of 75 runs from 73 balls. During his knock, Rohit Sharma achieved a monumental personal milestone, crossing the landmark of 20,000 international runs. This feat places him among Indian legends Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rahul Dravid.
Bowlers Set Up Victory After Rahul's Lucky Toss
The foundation for the win was laid by the Indian bowlers, who restricted South Africa to 270 all out in 47.5 overs. The spin-pace duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna were the chief destroyers, claiming four wickets each. Kuldeep's figures of 4 for 41 were particularly impactful in the middle overs.
South Africa's innings was built around a aggressive century from opener Quinton de Kock, who smashed 106 off 89 balls, including eight fours and six sixes. At 168 for 2, the visitors were poised for a bigger total, but their batting collapsed dramatically after Krishna's double strike removed Matthew Breetzke (24) and Aiden Markram (1). De Kock's dismissal shortly after his hundred triggered a slide from which they could not recover.
Kohli Provides the Finishing Touch
After Rohit Sharma's dismissal to Keshav Maharaj, Virat Kohli joined Jaiswal at the crease and ensured there were no further hiccups. Kohli played a characteristically elegant unbeaten innings of 65 runs from just 45 balls, striking six fours and three sixes. He fittingly hit the winning boundary to seal the series.
This ODI series win follows India's recent 2-0 triumph in the Test series against the same opposition. The team was bolstered by the experience of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who are now focusing solely on the 50-over format after retiring from T20Is and Test cricket. The two sides will now lock horns in a five-match T20I series, beginning in Cuttack on Tuesday.
