5 months ago
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The JSCA International Stadium Complex successful Ranchi was treated to a Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli masterclass successful the archetypal ODI against South Africa connected Sunday (Novermber 30, 2025), a spectacle that carried India to a constrictive 17-run triumph and a 1-0 pb successful the three-match series. Now, with the enactment shifting to the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium successful Raipur connected Wednesday (December 3, 2025), the location broadside has an accidental to seal the series.
The 2 erstwhile India captains turned backmost the clock, entertaining a packed location portion firmly addressing immoderate questions astir their future. Their 136-run concern for the 2nd wicket — the duo’s 20th period basal successful ODIs — was a vintage accumulation of power and authorization that sent the South Africans connected an exhausting leather hunt. The assurance with which the 2 operated, their bushed astir effortless, provided India with the cleanable level to acceptable a daunting total.
Kohli was successful majestic touch, threading drives done the off-side with precision and punishing thing successful his arc down the ground.
Rohit, meanwhile, carried guardant the imperious signifier helium displayed successful Sydney during the caller bid against Australia. He unfurled his signature pulls, tackled the spinners confidently, and kept the runs flowing, steadily tightening the grip connected the visitors.
Their clip successful the middle, backed by immense acquisition and skill, felt similar a timely injection of content for a broadside inactive recovering from the drubbing successful the Test series.
Equally encouraging for India was the composed enactment of stand-in skipper K.L. Rahul, who made each the close calls — barring the flip — and contributed with a mature innings. The new-ball brace of Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana struck aboriginal with disciplined lengths, rattling the Proteas’ top-order portion Prasidh Krishna chipped successful with the cardinal wicket of Corbin Bosch, who concisely threatened to propulsion disconnected a heist.
Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep was exceptional, finishing with a four-wicket haul that proved decisive successful halting South Africa’s complaint and ensuring India stayed connected top.
To their credit, the visitors refused to capitulate. After a disastrous start, their mediate and lower-order counterpunched. Matthew Breetzke held the innings unneurotic portion Tony de Zorzi and Dewald Brevis chipped successful with invaluable cameos earlier Marco Jansen, continuing his outstanding tally crossed formats, smashed a blistering 70 disconnected 39 balls to springiness his broadside a warring chance.
Regular skipper Temba Bavuma volition backmost for the must-win clash and South Africa volition fancy its chances of levelling the series.
As the absorption shifts to Raipur, respective questions linger. Will the transportation effect successful different run-fest? Can India thrust the momentum and seal the series? Or volition South Africa deed backmost to unit a decider? The answers volition unfold nether the lights, but 1 happening is definite — some teams volition beryllium anxious to stamp their authorization successful what promises to beryllium a gripping contest.
The teams (from): India: K.L. Rahul (Capt.), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Tilak Varma, Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (Capt.), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Rubin Hermann, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton and Prenelan Subrayen.
Match starts astatine 1.30 p.m.
