India Vs. South Africa 3rd ODI: India dominated the final game to wrap the series with a clinical win. Bowlers set the fire and batsmen cook the recipe. Heart Over Hype: Kohli and Rohit Rise Together Again, Carrying India and Millions of Fans With Them.
India showcased a supreme performance in Vishakhapattanam to cease the series with 2-1. First, the bowlers set a platform and restricted the powerpacked batting of South Africa to 270. Later Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli made the game one-sided, and India won the match by 9 wickets. Except for the partnership between Bavuma and de Kock in the first inning, the proteas looked ineffective. However, South African bowlers managed to hold the pace in the initial phase and they did not allow the openers to play fluently. The pacers Jansen, Ngidi, and Baartman, along with the primary spinner Keshav Maharaj, tried trapping Jaiswal and Rohit, but both batsmen managed to neutralise every effort.
The Ro-Ko Show
There were plenty of positives for the Indian side in the game, but the Ro-Ko magic stole the show ultimately. First Rohit Sharma built the innings with Jaiswal and navigated the chase towards a comfortable phase and then Virat came with a roaring half century again. With this unbeaten 65 runs, Kohli scored 300+ runs in the series, highest by any batsmen in either side. He looked dashing and aggressive while hitting sixes and fours. Be it cover drives, lofty sixes, or glides through fine leg, fans cheered for the vintage Virat Kohli but in his most aggressive batting form. He smashed Bosch for a no-look six over long-on and later drove the ball straight to reach his half century.
Before that, Rohit Sharma took charge of the South African attack and showcased some typical Rohit shots. The noise meter went above 118 db when he smashed Lungi Ngidi for a six with a front-on pull shot. The former Indian captain looked in sublime form, but unfortunately missed his century while trying to hit Keshav Maharaj with a sweep shot. It was the only wicket SA could take by restricting the unstoppable Rohit Sharma. But it was already too late as Jaiswal had recovered from his slow start. Ultimately he reached his unbeaten maiden ODI hundred.
Positives for India
It was not just another ODI victory for the Indian team. The final game of the series brought so many good signs for their future campaigns. Besides centuries coming from young batters like Ruturaj and Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prasiddha Krishna finally looked in good rhythm. In the first two matches, he mostly looked off-colour, but in the final game the pacer from Karnataka took 4 wickets and restricted SA below 300. Before that, KL Rahul played a handsome innings and scored consecutive half centuries in the first two games.
Also Read: Don’t Mess With Virat and Rohit- Ravi Shastri
However, the highlights of the series were Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Before this series, there were debates about their fitness, longevity, and form. The management looked dicey about their possible position in the game, especially in the context of World Cup 2027 preparations. But, in the series against SA, both stalwarts of Indian cricket showed why they are the best in the business. Fitness was never an issue with Virat Kohli but his mixed performance in the series against Australia gave wings to murmurs. The same situation was with the other legend. But, this series has turned all the criticism into appreciation for the ODI giants.
In a nutshell, the Indian team is back on track after a tough test series against the Proteas. It will definitely give them a moral boost for the upcoming 5-matches T20 series. Fans will also wait for 11th January 2026 when Virat and Rohit will be back in blue jersey against New Zealand.
Follow every milestone, every roar, every moment — this new era of Indian cricket is just beginning.
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