Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrated a defining moment in his burgeoning career, notching his maiden ODI century against South Africa in Visakhapatnam on December 6, 2025. The young opener’s unbeaten 116 powered India to a dominant nine-wicket victory, securing a 2-1 series win. Jaiswal's achievement wasn't just a personal milestone; it was a testament to the invaluable mentorship he received from senior teammates Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
In just his fourth ODI, the 23-year-old Jaiswal anchored India's chase of 271 with remarkable composure. He constructed a solid 155-run opening partnership with Rohit Sharma, followed by an unbroken 116-run stand with Virat Kohli. This performance not only sealed the series but also highlighted Jaiswal's growing comfort in the 50-over format.
Jaiswal emphasized the importance of his conversations with Rohit Sharma, particularly regarding setting targets and dictating the tempo of the innings. He revealed that these discussions revolved around balancing aggression with prudence, discerning when to attack and when to rotate the strike. Having had starts in the previous two games, Jaiswal and Sharma focused on how to convert those into substantial scores and balance his innings.
The opener also credited Virat Kohli, who provided tactical advice and set small, achievable targets during their partnership. According to Jaiswal, Kohli's "small targets" helped him stay focused and avoid obsessing over the pressure of the chase. "Virat paaji, the minute he came, he started playing a lot of shots, and we kept chatting as well. He kept giving me small targets that I need to focus on. So, it was helping towards my goal as well. So, I really enjoyed it," Jaiswal stated. This approach aligns with Kohli's renowned ODI philosophy of breaking down chases into manageable checkpoints.
Jaiswal's innings was a blend of patience and well-timed aggression. He took his time early on, getting his eye in before accelerating. His journey to the century reflected his growing assurance in the format, taking 111 balls to reach the milestone.
With this century, Jaiswal became only the sixth Indian cricketer to score a century in all three international formats, joining an elite list that includes Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill. He is also the 32nd player overall to achieve this feat. Jaiswal now has a total of nine international centuries, including seven in Tests and one in T20Is.
India won the toss for the first time in two years, and the victory saw India clinch the series 2-1 after losing the Test series 2-0. Following his impressive performance, Kohli was named player of the series for amassing 302 runs in three matches.
Jaiswal's rapid rise in international cricket has been largely due to his early success in Test cricket. His maiden ODI century signals his readiness to establish himself across all formats, adding versatility and explosiveness to India's top order. As India continues to nurture its next generation of batting stars, Jaiswal's progression presents a reliable option capable of shaping matches in all three formats.
