Magnificent centuries from Virat Kohli (102) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (105), along with a responsible finishing act from captain KL Rahul(66), helped India post a formidable 358/5, setting a target of 359 for South Africa in the second ODI at Raipur on Wednesday.
Star batter Virat Kohli smashed his second consecutive century of the series, reaching the landmark in 90 balls. The 37-year-old had scored 135 in the series opener in Ranchi and now extended his record tally to 53 ODI centuries and 84 international hundreds, edging closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time tally of 100 international tons.
This was also Kohli’s 11th instance of scoring back-to-back ODI hundreds, the most by any player in the format’s history, reflecting his unmatched consistency.
Kohli’s knock kept India steady in the middle overs as he rotated strike superbly, converted singles into twos and slowly squeezed the pressure back on the visitors. His innings ended on 102 off 93 balls against Lungi Ngidi.
At the other end, Ruturaj Gaikwad announced himself in emphatic style, crafting his maiden ODI century. He reached the milestone with a classy pull off Corbin Bosch—off just 77 deliveries—eventually falling for 105 off 83 balls while accelerating the scoring. His effort was the second-fastest ODI century by an Indian against South Africa, behind Yusuf Pathan’s 68-ball ton.
From the moment he arrived after an early stumble, Gaikwad looked completely in control: playing late, timing to perfection, and showcasing an impressive range—pulls, step-outs, sweeps and elegant strokes over cover. His partnership with Kohli turned the innings around and dismantled South Africa’s plans one over at a time.
Meanwhile, Kohli also narrowed the gap in the ICC ODI Batting Rankings, now just 32 points behind top-ranked Rohit Sharma, and moving closer to reclaiming the No.1 spot he last held before being displaced by Babar Azam in April 2021.
A crucial hand from skipper KL Rahul ensured India maintained momentum in the final overs, pushing the total to a challenging 350.
The match will be remembered for the brilliance of a modern master and the arrival of a rising star—blending experience and promise in a partnership that lit up Raipur.
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