Virat Kohli’s 52nd ODI century set up India’s total of 349/8 in the first ODI in Ranchi, a score that proved just enough for a 17-run win over South Africa.
Five days after Temba Bavuma’s Test side sealed a famous 2-0 series victory with a 408-run hammering, Aiden Markram’s ODI unit pushed India hard, recovering from 11/3 to take the chase into the final over. They needed 18 off the last six balls, but Arshdeep Singh held his nerve and removed Corbin Bosch – who made a superb 67 off 51 deliveries – to secure a narrow victory.
India dominated early, only to hit turbulence when Marco Jansen (70 off 39) and Matthew Breetzke (72 off 80) added 97 for the sixth wicket. With both falling to Kuldeep Yadav in the 34th over, the hosts appeared to have killed the game. But Bosch, inspired by Jansen and Breetzke’s defiance, launched a late assault with five fours and four sixes, forcing India to fight to the finish. Arshdeep Singh’s calm in the last over sealed a close result – exactly the kind of contest the flagging ODI format needs.
Kohli’s fluent 135 off 120 balls, featuring seven sixes – his second-highest tally in an ODI innings – was the centrepiece. Rohit Sharma, in a breezy 57, crossed Shahid Afridi’s record for most ODI sixes (351), as the veteran pair reminded fans of their value in familiar conditions. Stand-in captain KL Rahul chipped in with 60 off 56 at No. 6, though India lost momentum at the death and fell short of the 350 mark.
Rahul lost the toss, but little else went wrong on a good batting surface. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s second ODI outing lasted just 16 balls for 18, edging Nandre Burger. Rohit, on 1 off 3 at that point, was joined by Kohli, and the pair added 136.
Kohli edged his first ball for four but settled immediately, driving and cutting with authority. His ease going straight down the ground stood out; Burger and Ottneil Baartman were repeatedly lofted over mid-off and mid-on. Kohli reached fifty with a six off 48 balls and hit another next delivery.
Rohit, by his own high 2023 World Cup standards, was more circumspect – perhaps a sign he wants to close out his ODI career in the manner he built it. Yet he still scored at 111, striking five fours and three sixes. Dewald Brevis then produced a stunning catch at point to remove Ruturaj Gaikwad for 8. Washington Sundar, batting at No. 5 for the first time, entered during a slowdown and struggled to break free. Dot-ball pressure forced a mis-timed chip to mid-off, ending his laboured 13 off 18.
These wickets and disciplined South African bowling slowed Kohli, who moved from 84 off 76 to a century off 103 balls. Once past the three-figure mark, he accelerated hard, taking 22 off a Prenelan Subrayen over, including two fours and two sixes. He fell for 135, leaving India 276/5 with seven overs left. Rahul eased to a run-a-ball fifty, while Ravindra Jadeja – playing his first ODI since the Champions Trophy final in March – added some urgency with a 20-ball 32.
South Africa’s reply began disastrously. Three wickets fell in the first five overs: two to debutant Harshit Rana and one to Arshdeep. Rana bowled Ryan Rickelton first ball, then removed Quinton de Kock for a second-ball duck, the left-hander edging behind. Markram fell similarly to Arshdeep at 11/3.
Tony de Zorzi counter-attacked with intent, striking three fours in his first four balls, and made 39 before falling lbw to Kuldeep – a dismissal confirmed instantly via DRS by Rahul. Breetzke, who now has a record five fifties in his first five ODI innings, anchored well as Brevis swung hard at the other end.
Brevis smashed three sixes in his first 20 balls, but as with much of his early-career batting, the cameo was short-lived. Attempting a fourth big hit, he picked out deep point, giving Rana his third wicket. Jansen, however, embraced the same high-risk method with great success, racing to a 26-ball fifty. He began with back-to-back boundaries and a six off Kuldeep before targeting Prasidh Krishna for consecutive sixes. In this period, Breetzke calmly notched another fifty off 55 balls.
The chase turned again in the 34th over, when Jansen pulled Kuldeep to cow corner and, two balls later, Breetzke chipped to long-on. Their 97-run stand had ignited hopes of a stunning heist, and Bosch’s fearless hitting kept the dream alive until the final over. Ultimately, Arshdeep’s composure ended those hopes and gave India a hard-earned 1-0 lead.
