Star batsman Virat Kohli smashed a record 52nd ODI century to set up India’s 17-run victory over a spirited South Africa in the first match on Sunday.
Kohli’s 135 came off 120 balls and he shared a second-wicket partnership of 136 with fellow stalwart Rohit Sharma to set India on course for 349-8 in the eastern city of Ranchi.
Number eight Corbin Bosch made a valiant 67 off 51 balls as South Africa battled to almost the end. Entering the 50th over, the visitors needed 18 for victory with one wicket to spare. Bosch fell on the second ball and South Africa were 332 all out.
Matthew Breetzke, who made 72, and Marco Jansen, with 70, put on a fighting stand of 97 for the sixth wicket to revive the chase after South Africa slipped to 11-3 and then 77-4.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav stood out with figures of 4-68 in the high-scoring contest.
His double strike to remove Jansen and Breetzke in the space of three balls was the turning point for India, who took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The 37-year-old Kohli remained the hero with his 83rd ton across the three international formats after he brought up his hundred with a boundary off Jansen and raised his bat to a raucous home crowd.
“If you’ve played over 300 matches and that much cricket, you know when you hit balls in practice, you know the reflexes are there and the physicality is there to bat long,” man of the match Kohli said.
“As long as you hit the ball well and play good cricket, it’s about being fit, mentally ready and excited.”
Kohli mania
An Indian fan broke security and ran to the pitch to touch Kohli’s feet before he was dragged away.
Kohli has the most ODI hundreds, with India great Sachin Tendulkar second with 49.
The Indian cricket star tops the list of hundreds in a single format with Tendulkar’s tally in Tests at 51.
Kohli and 38-year-old Rohit, who scored 57, are playing the 50-over format for the first time after retiring from T20 and Test cricket.
Their presence boosted India, led by KL Rahul in the absence of the injured Shubman Gill, after a 2-0 Test whitewash against South Africa.
Rohit lost his opener Yashasvi Jaiswal early for 18 but Kohli walked in to a huge roar from a 38,000 capacity crowd.
The pair steadied the innings and then took on the bowlers before Rohit was caught lbw by Jansen.
Rohit hit three sixes in his 51-ball knock. It took him to 352 sixes in this format and overtook Pakistan batsman Shahid Afridi’s record of 351.
Kohli switched gears soon after reaching his first hundred since February. He hit off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen for two fours and two sixes in a 21-run 39th over.
He eventually fell to Nandre Burger, caught by Ryan Rickelton, after hitting 11 fours and seven sixes.
Rahul continued the onslaught with 60 off 56 balls while Ravindra Jadeja made 32 off 20.
In the end, Bosch’s maiden ODI half-century made it a close contest and there is much to look forward to ahead of the next match in Raipur on Wednesday.
“Great to sit in the dressing room and watch the guys do their thing,” said stand-in skipper Aiden Markram. “We never lose faith that we can pull a rabbit out of the hat.”
