Jaiswal hits ton as India thrash S. Africa to clinch ODI series Visakhapatnam

TDT | India

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India clinched the threematch ODI series 2-1 with a dominant nine-wicket win over South Africa in Visakhapatnam, driven by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s maiden ODI century. Chasing 271, India cruised home with 10.1 overs to spare as Jaiswal struck an unbeaten 116 and shared a 155-run opening stand with Rohit Sharma, who made 75. Jaiswal, playing just his fourth ODI, reached his hundred off 111 balls and said he had focused on balancing aggression and rotation after failing to convert starts in earlier games.

Virat Kohli, coming off consecutive centuries, finished the chase with a boundary and remained unbeaten on 65 from 45 balls. Rohit dominated early, bringing up his 61st ODI fifty and becoming only the fourth Indian after Sachin Tendulkar, Kohli and Rahul Dravid to surpass 20,000 international runs. His knock ended when Keshav Maharaj dismissed him for a 73-ball 75.

India’s bowlers set up the win as Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna took four wickets each to bowl out South Africa for 270 in 47.5 overs. KL Rahul finally broke India’s 20-match ODI toss-losing streak and opted to field, a decision that paid off despite an early South African surge.

Quinton de Kock smashed 106 off 89 balls—his seventh ODI hundred against India— and shared a 113-run stand with captain Temba Bavuma, who scored 48. But once Krishna struck twice in an over and later bowled de Kock, South Africa’s innings faltered. Dewald Brevis (29) and Marco Jansen (17) attempted a rebuild, but Kuldeep removed both in quick succession to regain control.

Kuldeep finished with 4-41 as India wrapped up the innings, Maharaj left unbeaten on 20. The ODI victory provided some comfort after India’s 2-0 Test defeat, helped by the return of veterans Rohit and Kohli, who now focus on 50-over cricket. The teams now move on to a fivematch T20 series starting Tuesday in Cuttack.