India held their nerve in a high-scoring thriller to defeat South Africa by 17 runs in the opening ODI of the three-match series, taking a 1-0 lead after a match that produced a massive 681-run aggregate. Chasing India’s 349, the Proteas fought back from 11/3 to push the hosts to the final over before falling short at the JSCA Stadium.
Kohli’s classic ton leads India to big total
Earlier, Virat Kohli produced a vintage performance, scoring a superb century — his 52nd ODI ton — while also being named Player of the Match. Kohli and Rohit Sharma stitched a commanding 136-run partnership, laying a strong foundation after South Africa put India in to bat. Contributions from KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja late in the innings lifted India to 349, despite excellent death bowling from Corbin Bosch.
Proteas fightback falls short
South Africa’s chase began disastrously, reduced to 11/3 inside five overs. However, Matthew Breetzke and Marco Jansen engineered a remarkable revival, with Jansen’s attacking knock tightening the contest. After both batters fell in quick succession, Bosch battled valiantly with support from the lower order, but India’s pacers held firm at the death in dewy conditions.
Captains react
Indian skipper KL Rahul praised his bowlers for sticking to plans and highlighted the leadership of senior players Rohit and Kohli. South African captain Aiden Markram expressed pride in his team’s character but conceded that top-order failures proved costly.
Next Stop: Raipur
The teams now travel to Raipur for the second ODI on Wednesday, 3rd December, 1:30 PM IST, where South Africa hope to bounce back with Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj expected to return.
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