Earlier, India’s bowlers restricted South Africa to 270, with Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav taking four wickets each. Prasidh, bouncing back from a quiet start, dismantled South Africa’s middle order, proving his captain KL Rahul and coach Gautam Gambhir’s faith in him was well-placed. Quinton de Kock was the lone standout for the visitors, scoring a brilliant 106.

The victory completed an entertaining ODI series, marked by fluctuating conditions and decisive tosses. KL Rahul, the stand-in captain, made a smart call to bowl first on a dry pitch in Visakhapatnam, unlike the dew-affected second ODI in Raipur where India’s 358 went in vain. India’s bowlers executed the plan perfectly, keeping South Africa under control despite de Kock’s century.

In the chase, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s maiden century and half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli guided India to a comfortable victory. Kohli’s consistent brilliance once again reinforced his status as one of the series’ standout performers.

Virat Kohli wraps the chase in style!

A commanding 9⃣-wicket victory in Vizag

With that, #TeamIndia clinch the ODI series by 2⃣-1⃣

Scorecard https://t.co/HM6zm9o7bm#INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/tgxKHGpB3O

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 6, 2025

With the series sealed 2-1, India now looks forward to the upcoming T20I series, starting on 9 November.

বিশাখাপত্তনমে চতুর্থ ভারতীয় ব্যাটার হিসাবে ইতিহাসে লিখলেন ‘হিটম্যান’

Joining India’s Most Elite Batting Club

With this milestone, Rohit now stands alongside:

Sachin Tendulkar

Virat Kohli

Rahul Dravid

Rohit reached the landmark in just 538 innings, showcasing a remarkable combination of consistency, an average above 42, and a superb strike rate—numbers that surpass many other members of the 20,000-run club.

India’s Top Run-Scorers in International Cricket

Sachin Tendulkar – 34,357 runs (664 matches)

Virat Kohli – 27,910 runs (556 matches)

Rahul Dravid – 24,064 runs (504 matches)

Rohit Sharma – 20,580 runs (505 matches)

Sourav Ganguly – 18,433 runs

MS Dhoni – 17,092 runs

Rohit also has 50 international hundreds, the third most by an Indian.

A White-Ball Giant

A dominant force in limited-overs cricket, Rohit has amassed:

11,000+ ODI runs

4,300+ Test runs

4,231 T20I runs (India’s highest in the format)

Since making his ODI debut in 2007, Rohit’s journey has been defined by transformation. Initially inconsistent and often under pressure to retain his spot, he blossomed after moving to the top of the order in 2013.

Record-Breaker and Modern-Day Great

Rohit has rewritten the record books:

The only player with three ODI double centuries

Holder of the highest individual ODI score — 264 vs Sri Lanka (2014)

Five centuries in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the most in a single edition

His aggressive style revolutionized India’s white-ball batting. He led India to the 2023 ODI World Cup final, and although the title slipped away, he redeemed himself by guiding India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Mt. 2⃣0⃣k

Congratulations to Rohit Sharma on becoming just the 4th Indian cricketer to amass 2⃣0⃣,0⃣0⃣0⃣ runs in international cricket

Updates https://t.co/HM6zm9o7bm#TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/S3nRb8ve5w

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 6, 2025

Test Renaissance

Rohit’s Test career witnessed a dramatic resurgence after he began opening in 2019. He flourished across two World Test Championship cycles, becoming one of the most reliable Test openers in world cricket before retiring from the format in 2025 after a dip in form.

A Legend in the Final Phase of His Career

Now past 35 but still performing at the highest level, Rohit continues to thrive under pressure. His career is a testament to perseverance: extraordinary talent backed by maturity, adaptability, and the ability to deliver when it matters most.

There remains one unfulfilled dream — the ODI World Cup title, which he may get another shot at in 2027. Given his current form, dropping him seems almost unimaginable.

With 20,000 international runs, Rohit Sharma is not just a prolific run-scorer—he is a transformative figure in Indian cricket. His dominance in white-ball formats, his record-shattering innings, and his leadership have secured his place among India’s all-time greats. His journey reminds us that while many have talent, only true legends rise above pressure to define an era.

সিরিজ বাঁচানোর লড়াইয়ে আক্রমণাত্মক ভারত পেল সহজ টার্গেট

India’s bowling attack was effective from the start. The decision of captain KL Rahul, who won the toss and chose to field, proved correct. Arshdeep Singh dismissed Ryan Rickelton in the very first over. The opening partnership between South Africa’s Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma came to an end at 113 runs. After Bavuma was dismissed for 48 by Ravindra Jadeja, the team had to rebuild the innings.

The major turning point of the match came in the last ball of the 33rd over. After scoring a century, de Kock misjudged a perfect delivery from Prasidh Krishna and was bowled. From that point, South Africa’s scoring rate slowed significantly. The lower-middle order failed to accelerate, with only Dewald Brevis scoring 29 runs off 29 balls.

Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling figures were impressive—4 wickets for just 41 runs in 10 overs. Prasidh Krishna also took 4 wickets. With this excellent bowling performance, Indian bowlers took complete control of the match.

After South Africa’s innings of 270, India needs 271 runs to win. This match is crucial for India in their fight to save the series. The team’s excitement was evident, especially after winning the toss, with bowling coach Morne Morkel congratulating Rahul.

South Africa are all out for 2⃣7⃣0⃣ in Vizag

Prasidh Krishna with the final wicket of the innings

He finishes with a four-wicket haul

Scorecard https://t.co/HM6zm9o7bm#TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/5mays2y5uS

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 6, 2025

In this Visakhapatnam match, the aggressive mindset of Indian bowlers and the magic of Chinaman spin seem to have brought a new twist to the series.