Kohli's Century in Vain as South Africa Stuns India
Raipur witnessed a masterclass from Virat Kohli, who scored his 53rd One Day International (ODI) century in the second match against South Africa on Wednesday. However, his brilliant effort was not enough to secure a victory for India, as South Africa chased down the target, winning by 4 wickets.
Kohli's innings of 102 runs off 93 balls, studded with seven fours and two sixes, was a treat for the fans at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. Walking in at No. 3 after India lost early wickets, Kohli showcased his sublime technique and dominated the South African bowlers. He reached his century in 90 balls, marking the occasion with a leap of joy, acknowledging the crowd's cheers. This was his second consecutive century in the series, following his 135 in the first ODI at Ranchi.
Ruturaj Gaikwad also contributed significantly, scoring his maiden ODI century with a superb 105 off 83 balls. Together, Kohli and Gaikwad forged a record-breaking 195-run partnership for the third wicket, helping India recover from an initial stumble at 62/2. This partnership became the highest ODI partnership for India against South Africa, surpassing the previous record of 194 runs between Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik in 2010. KL Rahul added a late flourish with a well-measured 66 not out, boosting India's total to 358/5.
Despite India's strong batting performance, South Africa managed to pull off a thrilling run chase. Corbin Bosch and Keshav Maharaj played crucial innings, ensuring the Proteas crossed the finish line despite a late flurry of wickets. India's poor fielding performance also contributed to their defeat.
Kohli's 53rd ODI century further solidifies his place in cricket history. He now stands four centuries ahead of Sachin Tendulkar in the ODI format. This was also the 11th instance of Kohli scoring consecutive ODI centuries, surpassing AB de Villiers' record of six. His current tally of 84 international hundreds places him second on the all-time list, behind Tendulkar's 100.
The cricket fraternity has been effusive in its praise for Kohli's achievement. Virender Sehwag commented on Kohli's "addiction to scoring hundreds," while Mohammad Kaif called Kohli "pure vintage" and said that he is "nothing without cricket".
Even amidst rumors of a rift between Kohli and head coach Gautam Gambhir, Gambhir was seen applauding Kohli's century enthusiastically. After Kohli completed his innings, he shared a warm hug with Gambhir.
While Kohli's individual brilliance continues to shine, the Indian team will need to address its shortcomings in fielding and ensure a more cohesive performance to achieve victory in future matches.
