The third and final ODI between India and South Africa will see an in-form Virat Kohli trying to keep up with his red hot bat.
So far in the series, he has already reached the three-figure mark in both ODIs and will be eager to do it for the third time. In the first match in Ranchi, the previous captain of India made a contribution of 135 runs, off 120 balls and leading his team to a victory by 17 runs. His exceptional play made him the Player of the Match.
The right-handed batsman also made a century in the second ODI in Raipur. He scored 102 runs off 93 balls with a combination of 7 fours and 2 sixes. Unfortunately, his heroic innings wasn’t enough as India lost the match.
Kohli’s record in Vizag:
The next stop is Vizag, the ground that has always given Virat Kohli the best as a batsman. This is the same ground where he has scored most ODI runs at home and will probably be the place for his fine record to be extended further. Kohli has been a part of 7 ODIs in Vizag scoring an unimaginable 587 runs at an average nearing 100.
Virat Kohli’s record in ODIs in Vizag:
118 — v Australia — 20 Oct 2010
117 — v West Indies — 2 Dec 2011
99 — v West Indies — 24 Nov 2013
65 — v New Zealand — 29 Oct 2016
157* — v West Indies — 24 Oct 2018
0 — v West Indies — 18 Dec 2019
31 — v Australia — 19 Mar 2023
Kohli’s have not been flashy but rather consistent during the last times he was in Vizag. His batting average in the city precisely is 97.83, and one more innings like that can either take it to 100 or beyond.
India’s hope of winning a series:
The Indian squad will be very intent on winning the third ODI not just for the sake of the series but because they were the ones who got it all wrong against the South Africans. A series win might be just what their morale needs.
Last month, the South African team achieved a spectacular victory over India by winning the two-match Test series 2-0. India managed to reverse the situation by taking the first ODI but did not impress much. With a century from Virat Kohli, they were able to post 349/8, while South Africa almost reached the same total. Eventually, the visiting team was left 17 runs short of winning.
In the second ODI, India went on to a huge score of 358/5 but still lost the game. South Africa managed to chase down the massive total with four balls to spare and thus equalled the series. The Indian team will now look to get back on track and take the series by winning the third ODI.
Transition to T20s:
Following the Test and ODIs, India and South Africa will face each other again in a five-match T20I series. The first game of the series is set for December 9 in Cuttack. Under Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy, India has never lost a T20I series, and they will now hope that this time their winning streak continues. This series could also be a useful practice for both teams before the T20 World Cup scheduled for next year.
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