'They've made oppositions look silly...': KL Rahul on Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma's impact after India's 17-run win over SA in 1st ODI

India's stand-in skipper KL Rahul said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made South Africa look silly and proved their might in the first ODI at the JSCA stadium in Ranchi. India got the better of South Africa by 17 runs in the series opener, and Rohit and Virat played a big part in India's dominant show.

It's a lot more fun to see Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma around in the dressing room: KL Rahul

The match saw Kohli register his 52nd ODI hundred, scoring a brilliant 135 runs off 120 balls, while Rohit Sharma contributed a well-crafted 57 runs. These pivotal knocks helped India secure a tight 17-run win over the Proteas, giving the home side a crucial 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

"Watching Rohit and Kohli play like that is always fun. They've made oppositions look silly and show why they are who they are. I've seen this for a long time, it's a lot more fun to see them around in the dressing room," said Rahul in the post-match presentation.

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'I'd be lying if I said there were no butterflies in my stomach'

Despite the commanding total of 349/8 posted by India, KL admitted that the close finish of the match made him feel a bit nervous as the game approached its conclusion.

"I'd be lying if I said there were no butterflies in my stomach. We're playing ODI cricket after a while. There's some expectation. But we kept taking wickets and the bowlers stuck to their plans. They pushed us and kept coming hard," he added.

"Batting at No. 6 is okay, got to do the job for the team. That's the role I've been given in the last 2-3 series. It's helping personal development," he further stated.

The 33-year-old also specifically praised the efforts of bowlers Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav, commending them for maintaining their composure and keeping their nerves steady throughout the high-scoring, pressure-filled contest.

"Harshit's done really well, we knew he has potential. He's tall and can bowl fast, he can give runs in the back end but he has great potential. To get crucial new-ball wickets is what we expect. Kuldeep is doing this job, key for us to take wickets," he concluded.