Yashasvi Jaiswal Shines with Maiden ODI Century as India Clinches Series Against South Africa
India's Dominance in ODI Series
Visakhapatnam: Yashasvi Jaiswal achieved his first ODI century, leading India to a convincing nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the final match of the series, securing a 2-1 win on Saturday.
Once Jaiswal (116 not out off 121 balls) and his experienced partner Rohit Sharma (75 off 73 balls) combined for a solid 155-run partnership in 25.5 overs, the outcome was never in doubt as India chased down the target of 271, finishing at 271 for one in just 39.5 overs.
Virat Kohli also made a significant contribution with an unbeaten 65 runs from 45 balls.
Quinton de Kock scored a commendable 106 off 89 balls, marking his 23rd ODI century, but it was overshadowed by the commanding performance of the Indian batsmen.
Initially, Jaiswal struggled to find his rhythm, but Rohit's steady presence at the crease provided crucial support.
Rohit, who reached his fifty in 54 balls, showcased his trademark aggressive style with three sixes, allowing Jaiswal to settle in and eventually reach his fifty in 75 balls. As he gained confidence, Jaiswal began to unleash his full range of shots.
Rohit became the fourth Indian player to surpass 20,000 international runs, joining legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Kohli, but his innings was cut short by a misjudged sweep off spinner Keshav Maharaj.
Jaiswal, however, continued to thrive alongside Kohli, reaching his century with a single off pacer Corbin Bosch, celebrating with an exuberant display of joy.
The duo added 156 runs for the second wicket, propelling India past the target and igniting excitement among the nearly 27,000 fans in attendance.
Earlier, India's disciplined bowling attack played a vital role in restricting South Africa to a manageable score, with Prasidh Krishna (4/66) and Kuldeep Yadav (4/41) leading the charge.
After Arshdeep Singh dismissed Ryan Rickelton early, De Kock's century came in a partnership with skipper Temba Bavuma (48 off 67 balls), putting South Africa in a strong position.
De Kock was particularly aggressive against Prasidh, scoring heavily in his second over, and reached his fifty in just 42 balls.
India found a breakthrough when Ravindra Jadeja caught Bavuma off a false shot, but South Africa continued to build momentum with a 54-run partnership between De Kock and Matthew Breetzke.
However, Prasidh's return to the attack proved decisive, as he quickly dismantled South Africa's top order, taking three wickets in a remarkable second spell.
With the top and middle-order in disarray, Kuldeep cleaned up the tail, leaving South Africa well short of a competitive total.