Ranchi, Dec 1: At a stage of his career where every ODI innings carries scrutiny, Virat Kohli delivered a statement hundred — his 52nd in the format, to propel India to a 17-run win after posting 349 for 8 against South Africa in the series-opener here Sunday. The visiting team nearly pulled off the chase with Marco Jansen playing a superlative knock of 70 off 39 balls. But Kuldeep Yadav took the key wickets of Jansen and Matthew Breetzke in the space of two balls in the 34th over to settle India’s nerves. Kuldeep finished with figures of 4/68.
Earlier, Kohli reasserted his relevance and authority in the only international format he plays with a fluent 135-run knock that formed the spine of India’s innings.
His commanding knock came off 120 balls with seven sixes and 11 fours. His 136-run stand with Rohit Sharma (57 off 51) for the second wicket, set up India’s big total on a largely flat JSCA Stadium track.
With Kohli no longer part of T20Is, and only six ODIs scheduled for India in the next eight months or so, every outing in the format now comes with significance.
The 37-year-old responded with trademark authority, reminding the selectors and team management that he remains India’s most bankable batter in the format.
Rohit too had a great platform to assert himself after being dropped at 1 but he could make only 57 before being trapped by Jansen.
Still, their 136-run partnership — during a much-anticipated RoKo show — would give confidence not to the two stalwarts but also the team management that they still belong to big stage and can serve India a bit more.
It was a flat deck but the Proteas bowlers were also guilty of not bowling a probing line and length.
Kohli walked in early after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 18 ended via a faint edge off Nandre Burger, and the Ranchi crowd immediately anticipated a reunion worth waiting for.
Rohit survived a sitter on one, spilled by Tony de Zorzi at mid-wicket, and used the reprieve to settle before opening up with a string of boundaries against Jansen and Corbin Bosch.
He hit Marco Jansen for two boundaries in a space of five balls and Bosch was also taken to task: his incoming deliveries were flicked with ease and the short ones were pulled with authority.
Kohli, meanwhile, was in vintage touch — a six over mid-off off Burger showing the full bat face signalled his intent as well as touch. It was followed by a silken cover drive.