Virat Kohli Shines Again with Back-to-Back Centuries Against South Africa

Virat Kohli continues to impress with his remarkable form, scoring back-to-back centuries against South Africa in the ongoing ODI series. His latest performance in Raipur adds to his impressive statistics, making him a formidable player in ODIs. With a total of 1,741 runs against the Proteas and a chance to join the elite 28,000-run club, Kohli's journey in cricket is one to watch. Discover more about his achievements and the match highlights in this detailed overview.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 3, 2025, 18:55 IST

Kohli's Stellar Performance Continues

Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli showcased his exceptional talent once more, achieving his second consecutive century against South Africa during the second ODI of the three-match series held in Raipur on Wednesday.

Following an impressive 135 runs off 120 balls in the first ODI at Ranchi, which included 11 boundaries and seven sixes, Kohli maintained his outstanding form by scoring 102 runs off 93 balls in the second match, featuring seven fours and two sixes. His strike rate of 109.68 highlighted his ability to accumulate runs efficiently while minimizing risks, demonstrating his expertise in the format with swift running between the wickets and astute decision-making on singles and doubles.

Kohli's Dominance Over South Africa

Kohli's statistics against South Africa in ODIs are remarkable. In 33 matches and 31 innings, he has amassed 1,741 runs at an impressive average of 69.64 and a strike rate of 88.51, including seven centuries and eight fifties. This achievement marks him as the player with the most centuries against South Africa in ODI history.

Unmatched Consistency

With this latest century, Kohli has now recorded 11 instances of scoring centuries in consecutive ODI innings, far surpassing South African great AB de Villiers, who has six such occurrences. Additionally, he holds the record for the most streaks of three or more consecutive innings with scores exceeding 50 in ODIs, totaling 13, while Rohit Sharma follows with 11.

His last three ODI innings against South Africa have all been centuries, including a score of 101* in Kolkata during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, along with two centuries in the current series.

Kohli's Remarkable 2023 Season

In 2023, Kohli has played 12 ODIs, scoring 586 runs across 12 innings with an average of 58.60 and a strike rate of 92.72. His performance includes three centuries and three fifties, with a top score of 135.

Chasing Legends

Kohli is now just 90 runs shy of joining the elite 28,000-run club in international cricket, alongside Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. Over 555 international matches, he has accumulated 27,910 runs at an average of 52.46, with 84 centuries and 144 fifties in 622 innings, boasting a highest score of 254*. He ranks as the third-highest run-scorer in international cricket history, trailing only Tendulkar, who leads with 34,357 runs.

Raipur ODI: Match Highlights

In the Raipur ODI, India batted first after being put in by South Africa, who quickly reduced the hosts to 62/2 with the dismissals of Rohit Sharma (14) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (22). Kohli (102 off 93 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Ruturaj (105 off 83 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes) formed a formidable partnership, adding 195 runs for the third wicket and putting India in a strong position.

Later, KL Rahul (66* off 43 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Ravindra Jadeja (24* off 27 balls, with two fours) concluded the innings with a brisk 69-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Marco Jansen was the standout bowler for South Africa, taking 2 wickets for 63 runs.