Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad greet each other during their third-wicket stand in the 2nd ODI against South Africa in Raipur on December 3, 2025
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu
When you silence a full house, you must have played out of your skin. South Africa did exactly that — initially through opener Aiden Markram’s sensational hundred and later through Matthew Breetzke and Dewald Brevis. The Proteas’ clinical chase — a four-wicket win with four balls to spare — in the second ODI pulled them level 1-1 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium on Wednesday.
Chasing a massive 359, South Africa lost opener Quinton de Kock but Markram’s experience and expertise came to the fore as he found an able ally in captain Temba Bavuma. The two were involved in a crucial 101-run second-wicket stand to put the side on course.
Markram (110, 98b, 10×4, 4×6) was in fine form, scoring nearly half his runs in the ‘V’. He made the most of a reprieve in the 18th over when Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped a sitter at long-on off Kuldeep Yadav. Once Markram departed, Breetzke (68, 64b, 5×4) and Brevis (54, 34b, 1×4, 5×6) took calculated risks, their 92-run fourth-wicket alliance turning the tide the visitors’ way. A cool Corbin Bosch (29 n.o., 15b, 4×4) and a composed Keshav Maharaj (10 n.o., 14b) took the team past the finish line.
Earlier, it was the Ruturaj Gaikwad-Virat Kohli show. The former repaid the faith shown in him by smashing his maiden ODI hundred (105, 83b, 12×4, 2×6). Batting at No. 4, Ruturaj produced an innings of quality and authority. Kohli, in sublime touch, scored his second consecutive ODI century — his 53rd hundred in the 50-over format and the 84th (30 in Tests, one in T20Is) of his illustrious career. Kohli (102, 93b, 7×4, 2×6) and Ruturaj’s 195-run third-wicket association was a feast for the full house bathed in blue.
The two had come together after the dismissals of openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal by the 10th over. The former India skipper looked ominous during a brief burst, striking Nandre Burger for three straight fours.
However, the bowler struck in the same over, forcing Rohit to edge behind.
Jaiswal, who grew in confidence after a sedate start, was dismissed by his nemesis Marco Jansen. This was the fourth time Jansen had removed the left-hander (thrice in the two-Test series).
It took just four deliveries for Kohli to assert his dominance as he pulled Lungi Ngidi into the stands over square-leg. Ruturaj, who joined him, was tested with a barrage of short balls. The pair kept the scoreboard ticking at more than a run-a-ball through sharp singles, well-judged twos and the occasional boundary. When the batters shifted gears, more boundaries followed. Ruturaj found the fence regularly before a couple of shots to the deep midwicket region took him to the three-figure mark. He leapt and punched the air in delight to celebrate the big moment. Kohli followed suit, notching up yet another international hundred.
Skipper K.L. Rahul made a quickfire unbeaten 66 off 43 balls (6×4, 2×6) to take India to 358, but couldn’t stop the marauding South Africans.
Published – December 03, 2025 02:19 pm IST
