Virat Kohli smashed his 52nd ODI century and 83rd overall as he resumed from where he finished off in Australia in Sydney, as India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series against South Africa in Ranchi. Kohli’s century helped India get to 349, which was eventually enough.
Virat Kohli won the Player of the Match award for his magnificent knock of 135 off just 120 balls against South Africa in the first ODI in Ranchi on Sunday, November 30, which was instrumental in the Men in Blue taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. South Africa put up a dogged fight in the run chase despite being 11/3 at the start of their innings, with Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch at the front and centre of it; however, 349 eventually proved to be enough and Kohli’s century came in a winning cause.
This was Kohli’s 44th Player of the Match in the ODIs, the third most and the 70th in international cricket, the second most, just behind Sachin Tendulkar. However, the Player of the Match award on Sunday was Kohli’s 32nd at home at the highest level, which is the most for any cricketer as he surpassed the likes of Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis, both tied on 31. In ODIs, however, Tendulkar is still a bit ahead of Kohli, with 23 Player of the Match awards at home, with the latter winning his 20th.
Most Player of the Match awards in men’s international cricket (at home)
32 – Virat Kohli (India), in 226 matches
31 – Jacques Kallis (South Africa), in 234 matches
31 – Sachin Tendulkar (India), in 258 matches
25 – Ricky Ponting (Australia), in 249 matches
25 – Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh), in 217 matches
Most Player of the Match awards in men’s ODIs (at home)
23 – Sachin Tendulkar (India), in 164 matches
20 – Virat Kohli (India), in 125 matches
15 – Jacques Kallis (South Africa), in 142 matches
15 – Ricky Ponting (Australia), in 153 matches
Kohli looked in sublime touch from the outset on Sunday, looking to take the bowlers on, putting the fielders under pressure and clearing the boundary with ease. Kohli smashed 11 fours and seven sixes during his 120-ball knock and had contributions from Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja to push India’s score to almost 350, which was eventually enough.
Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav starred with the ball, taking three and four wickets respectively to ensure that India got the wickets regularly, apart from that 11-odd-over period when Jansen and Bosch threatened to derail the hosts’ bowling plans. Bosch got out in the final over and India registered a thrilling win, with both teams nicely setting it up for the remaining couple of games