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.

South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen says stopping world-class batters like Virat Kohli becomes almost impossible once they settle in, admitting that the Indian star’s ability to extend his innings makes him one of the toughest opponents to bowl to. Reflecting on Kohli’s match-winning century in the first ODI, Jansen said the only realistic window for a bowler is in the first few deliveries.

“When you bowl to world-class players, it’s quite difficult to get them out. I always try to get a batter in his first 10 or 15 balls. That’s when they’re still getting used to the wicket,” Jansen said.

“But once they’re in, and they get on a roll, it’s very difficult to stop them. Everyone here knows how to play — that’s why you go to plan B or C.” Kohli hit his 52nd ODI hundred on Sunday (November 30, 2025) to shape India’s 17-run win that gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Jansen, who first bowled to Kohli as a 17-year-old net bowler during India’s 2017-18 tour of South Africa, said the challenge of bowling to one of the modern greats remains both frustrating and enjoyable.

“It’s nice to watch him play. Growing up watching him on TV to actually bowling to him now… it’s annoying but it’s fun at the same time,” he said. “He drives well, he pulls well, cuts well, plays with his pads well. I don’t think much has changed — he’s just batting longer and longer.” On his own batting form in the series, the tall left-hander said the presence of a settled top order has allowed him to play with freedom, even as he continues to make rapid strides as a lower-order batter in the ongoing white-ball series against India.

“It’s always nice to walk in when the top five are on a roll. I’m just watching the ball and playing it as it comes. At the moment it’s working for me.” Jansen said the Proteas were not too disheartened by going 0-1 down and believed they were “doing the right things” despite India’s win.

“We didn’t bowl too badly. They got early wickets, we were on the back foot, then we pulled it back. It’s just about adding the good things on top of each other like we’ve been doing in the Test squad,” he said.

He confirmed that injured players remained under medical supervision and a clearer update would be available when the squad regroups ahead of the second ODI in Raipur.

Regular skipper Temba Bavuma was ‘rested’ for the Ranchi ODI and Aiden Markram led in his place.

With India being outplayed by South Africa in the just-concluded Test series, spin great Harbhajan Singh felt the hosts don’t have a specialist off-spinner for the five-day game, and called for an increased workload for Washington Sundar.

In the first home series against a SENA country since the retirement of R. Ashwin, India spinners were overshadowed by the Proteas, who claimed 25 wickets across two Tests.

“Looks like (India does not have a specialist right-arm off-spinner for Test cricket),” Harbhajan told PTI in response to a query.

Harbhajan opined that Tamil Nadu all-rounder Washington has a long way to go to establish himself as a specialist right-arm off-spinner and be a like-for-like replacement for Ashwin in terms of all-round skills.

“I think Washington Sundar is there, but we will have to bowl him more. He will have to be bowled for 30-35 overs in a Test match to make a bowler out of him,” said Harbhajan on the sidelines of the launch of 8JJ Sports India.

Harbhajan, the third-highest wicket-taker among Indian spinners, felt India would have to shun the habit of dishing out rank turners for home Tests.

“The kind of pitches we have been playing on, there is no requirement of making a bowler out of anyone because every delivery spins or some straightens,” he said.

“A bowler can (only) be considered good when he takes wickets on good pitches,” Harbhajan added.

Harbhajan said it is high time for India to start preparing good pitches as the growth of Test cricketers in the country had stalled due to playing on rank turners at home.

“We should play on good cricket pitches — it is high time,” he said.

“It has been more than a decade playing on those pitches where there has not been overall growth of (Indian) cricket.

“If you look at it, we are stuck at that one place and when we play on good wickets, it becomes a case of being required to look into the mirror,” he added.

Citing the example of the England tour earlier this year, where Shubman Gill scored 754 runs and led his team to a 2-2 draw in a five-Test series, Harbhajan said Indian batters must get better wickets at home as well.

“We did well in England. When we go outside of India, our batters get the opportunity to score runs.

“(But) if you don’t give chance to your batters, then how will it be possible for them to win matches (at home)? It is high time India start playing on good tracks.”

Harbhajan felt India cannot talk about promoting Test cricket if they dish out wickets like the one in Kolkata, where the Test ended inside three days on a dry, turning pitch.

“We keep on talking about saving and promoting Test cricket, but this is not the way to save Test cricket.

“If you want to save Test cricket then we need to start playing on good tracks, which allow your bowlers and batters and everyone to be in the game,” said Harbhajan, who had used the hashtag “RIPTESTCRICKET” on social media after the Kolkata Test ended inside three days.