Dominant India Secures Series Victory with Commanding Nine-Wicket Win Over South Africa

K.L. Rahul broke India’s toss jinx, Yashasvi Jaiswal achieved a significant milestone, Prasidh Krishna silenced critics, and Kuldeep Yadav proved his worth, as India clinched a commanding nine-wicket victory over South Africa, securing a 2-1 win in the ODI series at the ACA-VDCA Stadium on Saturday.

There was a palpable sense of relief for India after overcoming a daunting 20-game streak of losing the toss, as evidenced by Rahul’s understated fist bump amidst the celebratory hugs and high-fives among his teammates.

Arshdeep Singh set the tone by dismissing Ryan Rickelton for a duck early on. Although Quinton de Kock was resolute in challenging the hosts, his rediscovered passion for representing his country was evident since his return from an international hiatus three months ago.

De Kock’s innings began with a lucky edge for a boundary, but he soon dominated, particularly against Prasidh Krishna, hitting three sixes and a boundary to limit his initial spell to two overs.

As India’s bowlers searched for a breakthrough, de Kock found a reliable partner in captain Temba Bavuma, who skillfully rotated the strike and capitalized on scoring opportunities.

Ravindra Jadeja, celebrating his birthday, eventually broke the 113-run partnership with de Kock, with Bavuma caught by Virat Kohli at backward point after a slog sweep over deep square leg.

Despite ongoing wickets, de Kock remained unflustered, celebrating his century with a stylish pull over square leg, earning applause from the Visakhapatnam crowd.

Prasidh Krishna’s second spell was pivotal, yielding four wickets and initiating South Africa’s collapse from a potential 300+ total to just 270. He managed tighter lines, claiming the wickets of Matthew Breetzke and Aiden Markram, and received loud cheers when he dismantled de Kock’s defenses in the 33rd over.

Kuldeep Yadav also played his part, taking four wickets and slicing through the opposition’s middle and lower order. Prasidh then closed South Africa’s innings by taking out Ottneil Baartman’s stumps.

A significant 155-run partnership between Rohit Sharma and Jaiswal extinguished any hopes of a South African resurgence. Despite some initial hurdles, Jaiswal played a composed innings, with Rohit Sharma unleashing his aggression with a few pull shots off Corbin Bosch.

The crowd was electrified by Jaiswal’s maiden ODI century, marked by a leap, a punch, and a roar that resonated through the stadium.

Visakhapatnam, renowned as Kohli’s territory, remained true to its moniker as his effortless 65 from 45 balls sealed the win for India with over 10 overs to spare.

Published on Dec 06, 2025