Irfan Pathan Applauds Virat Kohli's Century in India's ODI Win Against South Africa

Kohli's Stellar Performance Shines in ODI Victory

New Delhi, December 1: Irfan Pathan, the former Indian all-rounder, has praised Virat Kohli following his remarkable century that led India to a 17-run victory over South Africa in the first ODI held in Ranchi.

Pathan reflected on Kohli's innings, noting that it displayed two contrasting aspects of the player's batting style. He remarked, “In this innings, you can see two different Virat Kohlis: one who was aggressive during the powerplay and another who became resolute as wickets fell, determined not to lose his wicket.”

He further emphasized that such adaptability comes with extensive experience, which Kohli possesses, along with his exceptional fitness.

Despite ongoing discussions about his future in ODIs leading up to the 2027 World Cup, Kohli continues to captivate fans, marking his 52nd ODI century and setting a record for the most centuries in a single format. In his innings of 135 runs off 120 balls, he hit 11 fours and seven sixes, making it one of his most enjoyable centuries in recent times.

However, Pathan pointed out that some of the other Indian batsmen missed crucial opportunities to shine. He mentioned, “Ruturaj Gaikwad and Washington Sundar did not make the most of their chances.” Gaikwad, making his return to the ODI squad, scored only 8 runs off 14 balls, while Sundar, who was promoted to bat at No. 5, managed just 13 runs.

On a positive note, Pathan expressed his satisfaction with the performance of senior players in the Indian lineup. He stated, “The way the Indian team played in this match is promising, especially with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in such good form. I hope they continue to perform at this level.”

Rohit Sharma also contributed significantly, scoring 57 runs off 51 balls, including five fours and three sixes. Together, he and Kohli formed a vital partnership of 136 runs, setting a solid foundation for India's total.

In the match, South Africa opted to field first. Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed early for 18 runs off 16 balls. Rohit and Kohli's partnership was crucial, but India faced a middle-order collapse, losing Rohit, Gaikwad, and Sundar quickly, leaving them at 200/4. However, a partnership of 76 runs between KL Rahul, who scored 60 runs off 56 balls, and Kohli, along with a 65-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (32 runs off 20 balls), propelled India to a total of 349/8 in their 50 overs.

During South Africa's chase, they stumbled early, losing three wickets for just 11 runs. A partnership of 66 runs between Tony de Zorzi (39 runs off 37 balls) and Matthew Breetzke provided some stability. Dewald Brevis also contributed with a quick 37 runs off 28 balls, but South Africa found themselves at 130/5.

A significant 97-run partnership between Breetzke (72 runs off 80 balls) and Marco Jansen (80 runs off 39 balls) threatened to turn the game in South Africa's favor. However, Kuldeep Yadav's timely wickets reduced South Africa to 227/8. Corbin Bosch (67 runs off 51 balls) kept the chase alive, but ultimately, South Africa fell short by 17 runs. Harshit Rana also had a commendable bowling performance with figures of 3/65.

With this victory, India takes a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.