IND vs SA, 3rd ODI report: Clinical India romps to nine-wicket win, clinches series 2-1

K.L. Rahul conquered India’s coin demons, Yashasvi Jaiswal finally went the distance, Prasidh Krishna silenced naysayers, and Kuldeep Yadav underlined his importance, as India registered a thumping nine-wicket win against South Africa to seal a 2-1 victory in the ODI series at the ACA-VDCA Stadium on Saturday.

India’s relief on breaking a 20-game toss losing streak was palpable when Rahul silently fist-bumped the win while his colleagues exchanged hugs and high-fives. 

Arshadeep Singh, dismissing Ryan Rickelton for a duck in the fifth ball of the innings, kept the energy high. Quinton de Kock, however, was determined not to make the going easy for the host. 

When he returned from international wilderness three months ago, de Kock said that his childhood dream of representing his country “came back”. On Saturday, he combined that rediscovered exuberance with his wealth of experience with aplomb.

A fortunate outside edge got him his first boundary, after which there was little stopping him. He took apart Prasidh as he stepped on the accelerator, with three sixes and a boundary, to curtail his first spell to just two overs.

As the Indian attack desperately looked for answers, de Kock found an able partner in skipper Temba Bavuma, who expertly rotated the strike and dispatched the ball to the fence when the bowlers gained confidence to take risks. 

Not long after a slog sweep over deep square leg brought up de Kock’s half-century, the pair’s 113-run stand was broken by birthday boy Ravindra Jadeja, with Bavuma slicing the ball to Virat Kohli at backward point.

Despite wickets falling at regular intervals, de Kock was unfazed, bringing up his century with a stylish pull over square leg. Visakhapatnam grudgingly rose in applause.

Prasidh Krishna’s second spell got him four wickets and initiated South Africa’s collapse.
| Photo Credit:
K.R. Deepak

Two versions of Prasidh will always coexist. He will concede a glut of runs and will also pick up wickets, with stump rattlers and ‘schoolboy errors’ generated in equal measure. The paradox endured: he was the most expensive bowler again, but his four wickets were crucial in restricting the Proteas’ score, which had looked like it was headed past 300, to 270.

Prasidh’s second spell had tighter lines, an effort rewarded with the wickets of Matthew Breetzke and Aiden Markram. The loudest cheers of the night came when he beat de Kock on the inside edge and sent the off and middle stumps flying in the 33rd over.

Kuldeep soon got in on the act, razing through the middle and lower order with four wickets. His blink-and-miss waltz with Kohli a cheeky metaphor for his mastery over the Proteas. Prasidh then clattered Ottneil Baartman’s stumps to wrap up the South African innings.

A 155-run stand between Rohit Sharma and Jaiswal snuffed hopes of any early momentum for the Proteas. This, despite the latter’s hiccups in getting going. Dew too, unlike Indigo flights this week, promptly arrived to make this twice as hard for the visitor. 

India’s 48 for no loss from the first 10 was its lowest wicketless PowerPlay score in ODIs since 2023. While Jaiswal played a more measured innings, Rohit soon broke free, with two pull shots off Corbin Bosch.

Copious emotions followed after Jaiswal’s century – a leap, a punch, and a roar piercing through the deafening cheers.
| Photo Credit:
K.R. Deepak

A ton wasn’t to be as the ‘Hitman’ perished after a botched slog sweep landed in a sprinting Matthew Breetzke’s hands at deep square leg. 

Jaiswal resisted temptations to nervously do something rash, with Kohli for company, as he brought up his maiden ODI hundred. Copious emotions followed, a leap, a punch, and a roar piercing through the deafening cheers.

Visakhapatnam has been Virat country, and continued to be. His effortless 45-ball 65 wrapped up the contest with more than 10 overs to spare.

Published on Dec 06, 2025