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India suffered a four-wicket defeat at the hands of South Africa in the second ODI despite Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad's centuries in Raipur on November 3.
South Africa outwit India in 359-run chase
It was Aiden Markram's splendid ton (110) which dampened Kohli and Gaikwad's hundreds in the 359-run chase. With this win South Africa levelled the series 1-1. Notably, this is the joint-highest target chased down against India, alongside as many for Australia in Mohali in 2019.
Now, it all boils down to third and final ODI, which is slated to be played on December 6, as it will decide the fate of the series.
Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad's tons in vain
Batting fist, India posted a formidable total of 358/5 against South Africa in the second ODI on Wednesday, propelled by a trio of impressive batting displays. The innings was anchored by Virat Kohli's successive hundred (102 off 93 balls) and a maiden century from Ruturaj Gaikwad (105 off 83 balls). Crucial finishing touches were then provided by stand-in skipper KL Rahul, who struck a quickfire 66 not out off just 43 balls to ensure the hosts launched into a big score.
The foundation for India's massive total was laid by the record-breaking third-wicket partnership between Kohli and Gaikwad. Their 195-run association reset the record for India's highest third-wicket stand against South Africa in ODIs. Unlike the previous game where he struggled to settle in the middle order, Gaikwad emerged as a perfect foil for the in-form Kohli. The duo displayed exceptional chemistry, characterized by deft rotation of the strike, seamless conversion of singles into doubles, and stroke-play so harmonized that it was often difficult to distinguish who had pierced the field. Gaikwad grew in confidence after being roughed up early, eventually hitting Keshav Maharaj for a six and two fours in the 28th over before reaching his triple-figure milestone.
The innings began with both openers departing quickly, despite initial promise. Rohit Sharma fell for 14 to Nandre Burger after hitting three consecutive fours, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who struck a couple of fours and a six in his 22, was dismissed by Marco Jansen's extra bounce. However, the loss of two wickets inside the powerplay did not deter India. Rahul's second successive fifty provided momentum late in the innings, although India continued to tinker with their batting lineup, with Washington Sundar enduring another failure ahead of the captain at number five.
Aiden Markram roars with splendid century to take South Africa home
In reply, South Africa's run chase was anchored by a superb century from opener Aiden Markram. He scored 110 runs off 98 deliveries, including 10 fours and four sixes, a performance that was vital after the early departure of Quinton de Kock. Markram laid a solid foundation for the pursuit by sharing a strong partnership with captain Temba Bavuma (46) before his dominant innings concluded at the 30-over mark, caught by Ruturaj Gaikwad off the bowling of Harshit Rana.
Following Markram's dismissal, Dewald Brevis (54) launched into an aggressive display, with his fireworks preventing the hosts from gaining a vital grip on the game. Despite initially keeping the runs in check, the Indian bowlers faltered, with fielding errors significantly adding to the pressure. Prasidh Krishna was notably expensive and largely ineffective, though he did eventually secure the wicket of Matthew Breetzke (68) after the job appeared to be done by the South African middle order.
The hosts did receive a minor boost when Tony de Zorzi (17) was forced to retire hurt. However, after quickly dispatching Marco Jansen, India struggled to contain the final stages of the chase. Corbin Bosch (29) proved too difficult to remove, finishing the game strongly in partnership with Keshav Maharaj (10) to secure a thrilling victory for the Proteas.
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