New Delhi / Raipur: India suffered a disappointing defeat in the second ODI against South Africa despite a run-filled performance by Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who combined for a record 195-run partnership.
Their commanding batting show powered India to an imposing 358/5, but South Africa displayed remarkable composure to chase down 359, winning by four wickets and levelling the series 1-1.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, bringing up his maiden ODI century, played one of the finest innings of his short international career. Calm yet aggressive, he built his knock around clever placements and smart rotation of strike. At the other end, Virat Kohli was at his vintage best, registering his 53rd ODI hundred. Together, they broke a 15-year-old record held by Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik for India’s highest third-wicket partnership against South Africa.
India appeared to be in complete control after posting the massive total, but their bowling lacked penetration on a flat surface. South Africa captain Aiden Markram rose to the occasion with a masterclass of pacing an innings. His century laid the perfect foundation, with support from Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs and David Miller, who accelerated during the death overs.
Markram later praised his team’s temperament, saying, “We backed ourselves to chase this down. The pitch was excellent, and the key was not letting the scoreboard pressure dictate our shots.”
India captain KL Rahul admitted the bowling attack needed more discipline: “We were 20–30 runs short on this surface. With the ball, we couldn’t create enough chances in the middle overs.”
The defeat exposes concerns around India’s middle-over bowling and their inability to build wicket-taking pressure. With the decider set to be played in Mumbai, India must regroup quickly as South Africa head into the finale carrying strong momentum.
